Tour Confidential: Can LIV Golf Survive Without Jon Rahm?

Jon Rahm is officially out of LIV Golf 2.0, his lawyer announced last week. For a league that recently filed for bankruptcy, it was a major blow. GOLF.com editors discussed whether LIV can survive without one of its biggest stars, how the PGA Tour should handle Rahm and which young Korn Ferry Tour graduates deserve attention.

Managing editor Josh Berhow called Rahm’s departure a massive loss. A league needs stars to market its product and attract viewers, he said, comparing Rahm to a Jenga block: removing one piece will not bring down the tower, but removing several more could cause a rapid collapse.

Senior writer Sean Zak said that LIV continuing to operate would not necessarily mean it remained relevant. Rahm was one of only two LIV players fans truly cared about during majors and one of the league’s few players capable of contending in them. LIV can survive in the heavily trimmed-down form it has been planning, Zak said, but it increasingly feels like “a golf league in hospice.”

Associate game-improvement editor Zephyr Melton agreed that LIV could probably continue staging professional tournaments, but said it had no chance of remaining a major force in global golf. Without the stars it is losing, he said, the league would be no different from the Sunshine Tour or Challenge Tour.

Rahm’s departure also raises questions about other players. Sergio Garcia and David Puig, two other Spaniards, also appear to be leaving LIV, although Rahm’s news was clearly the headline. Berhow said the players to watch include Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau. DeChambeau is more marketable than Rahm, Berhow said, and attention is now focused on his decision. DeChambeau holds considerable power over LIV’s future, but less leverage with the PGA Tour, which needs him less than he needs the Tour.

Zak called Rahm’s decision a precedent in the opposite direction. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson set a precedent by joining LIV, and Rahm’s exit could encourage others to follow him. Melton expects players without secure status elsewhere to stay, while those able to find a soft landing will leave. They have already received their large payouts, he said, and have little reason to remain.

What should the PGA Tour do?

Rahm did not accept the offer made to Brooks Koepka through the Returning Member Program. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has not sounded eager to welcome LIV players back. Berhow said bringing Rahm back immediately with only a minimal penalty would look bad. He suggested a one-year suspension, during which Rahm could play on the DP World Tour and in majors.

Zak said Rolapp should make no exceptions. Players already have a clear route through the DP World Tour, he argued, while any expansion of access to the 2028 Championship Series should be discussed now, before the pathways are finalized. Rahm should have to fight at least as hard as everyone else to return, Zak said.

Melton agreed: if a player can earn his way back, fine, but there should be no special treatment for those who previously passed up the chance to return. The PGA Tour has already proved it can survive without them and will continue to do so.

What will LIV mean for Rahm’s legacy?

Rahm joined LIV three years ago as the reigning Masters champion, shocking the golf world. At some point, however, he will likely play on the PGA Tour again.

Berhow said Rahm’s legacy will ultimately be judged mainly by his major titles and Ryder Cup performances. With two majors already and a strong Ryder Cup record, Rahm should be fine in those areas. But no account of his career will be complete without the chapter about leaving the Tour for money and then departing LIV when events failed to unfold as expected.

Zak noted that Rahm dominated LIV competition during his three years with the league, but did not dominate professional golf as a whole. He excelled in the Ryder Cup and contended in a few majors, though not many. Strong play over the next few years could erase much of the awkwardness around his decision, Zak said, although his LIV stint may never look good on paper.

Melton cited the old saying that winning cures everything. If Rahm returns to winning after LIV, he will be forgiven. If not, the episode could become one of the biggest what-ifs in golf history.

Blades Brown becomes the youngest Korn Ferry Tour graduate

Twenty players earned 2027 PGA Tour membership through Sunday’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship. Among them was 19-year-old Blades Brown, now the youngest player ever to graduate to the PGA Tour through the Korn Ferry Tour.

Zak noted that Brown is closer in age to amateur No. 6 Miles Russell, who is still in high school, than to Jackson Koivun, who recently made a major impact. Brown did not get there because of one hot month, Zak said; he steadily earned his way to the Tour and should be exciting to watch over a full season. He may also receive a few sponsor exemptions into Signature Events.

Berhow said Brown clearly has potential, but only time will show whether he delivers. Several highly touted young players have struggled to make an immediate impact on the PGA Tour in recent years, although Koivun has been a notable exception. Melton also praised Brown but cautioned that it is impossible to know in advance how his game will translate to the next level.

Among the other 20 graduates, the editors highlighted three players. Zak named Dylan Menante, known as the fastest player in professional golf. He would love to see Menante and Ludvig Aberg play in the first group together and set the pace for the field. Berhow highlighted Ross Steelman, the season-long points winner, who won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour and recorded nine top-10 finishes. Melton chose Cole Sherwood, Gordon Sargent’s former college teammate at Vanderbilt, who has steadily progressed through professional golf.