Multiple PGA Tour winner slams Jon Rahm: "It's outrageous to me"

Multiple PGA Tour winner Kevin Kisner says it's "outrageous" Jon Rahm left for LIV Golf in the first place. 

The Spaniard joined the breakaway tour in December 2023 and was expected to remain with the breakaway tour for many years to come. 

But Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrew their financial support for LIV in April and the league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. 

Rahm has remained tight-lipped on his future plans but a lawyer representing the Spaniard told a judge two days ago that the former Masters champion has no intentions of remaining with LIV as the terms for the reimagined league are "unacceptable" to him. 

Kisner told the latest edition of the ForePlay podcast that had he been in Rahm's position he couldn't have imagined giving up going "toe to toe" with the likes of Scottie Scheffler in the prime of his career. 

"It's just outrageous to me," he said.

"I don't know how much money you would have to be paid, and/or not be paid to sacrifice that, because that's the greatest. 

"You're talking to a guy who did it. The greatest time in my career was going back in that play-off with Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler and knowing the entire golf world was watching me play these three holes against two great, well-known players."

Kisner was referring to the time he was involved in a six-man play-off at the 2015 Players Championship. 

Fowler emerged the winner after owning the iconic par-3 17th and it remains the best victory of his career to date.

Kisner added: "I was just coming out, and it's like dude, this is what I practice for my entire life. 

"I didn't practice to be on a team with Tyrrell Hatton called whatever, the Crushers, and be in some psycho matchplay at the end of the year that nobody's watching, just because we're getting paid a bunch of money. 

"It didn't matter if I was playing for $10 or $10m bucks in that playoff, it would have mattered more than anything.

"The Rahm deal had to be all financial, right? 

"Because he was well-liked on the tour, prime of his career, top-five in the world when he went, no real reason to leave. 

"Bryson left, we all knew why, that's what I just never understood with his decision. 

"And who knows if he got paid all of his money, but looking back, was it worth it? I don't know how it could be."

Jon Rahm quits LIV Golf

Jon Rahm's exit from LIV Golf was confirmed on 7 September. 

His lawyer, John Beck, told the latest bankruptcy hearing that the 31-year-old "independently reviewed the terms of LIV 2.0 and determined those terms are unacceptable as to him".

It was later said that LIV and Rahm's representatives are "in advanced discussions for a consensual separation agreement between Mr Rahm and LIV".

Beck added that he hopes the deal will be finalised before the next court hearing on 5 November. 

Rahm was arguably the most high-profile player to join LIV when he left the PGA Tour in 2023 for a deal worth a reported £222m ($300m). 

Some players, such as Brooks Koepka, have already returned to the PGA Tour. 

Koepka made his way back across via a returning member programme. 

The programme was also available to Rahm, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau but all three players rejected the offer.

PGA Tour boss Brian Rolapp told reporters last month there are no plans to rollout a similar programme. 

Will Jon Rahm be allowed to return to the PGA Tour?

As things stand, it's likely that Jon Rahm will have to serve a one-year suspension before returning to the PGA Tour in 2028. 

The PGA Tour will introduce a two-tier tournament structure in 2028, separating its leading players into a new Championship Series while creating a parallel Challenger Series designed to provide a route into the sport's top level. 

The new Championship Series is expected to comprise approximately 23 events, including the four men's major championships and the Players, with fields averaging around 120 players. 

Regular events will carry minimum purses of $20m, while the season will run broadly from February to August

The criteria for the top tier was confirmed on 15 September. 

Per the terms, Rahm will be eligible for the Championship Series because of his 2023 Masters victory.