Rahm agrees to forfeit millions in ugly LIV ‘separation agreement’
Jon Rahm has reached an agreement with LIV Golf, according to court documents, but will waive all financial claims against the series in exchange for his name and image rights.
Rahm will be able to leave the breakaway tour’s lucrative 2.0 deal and pursue other opportunities under an agreement filed in a New Jersey bankruptcy court.
Spain’s Jon Rahm is LIV golf’s biggest creditor after the golf league filed for bankruptcy earlier this month. Getty Images
The agreement was filed Thursday AEDT, just a week after Rahm’s attorney informed the court that his client would not play on the tour in 2027. It is scheduled for a judge’s approval on November 5.
The filing details that the Spaniard owes no further service or performance obligations.
He is no longer bound by league regulations or team policies, and he is free to sign with any tour, league or sponsor without notice to or consent from LIV.
Pending approval, Rahm will be scheduled to make his post-LIV debut at the Abu Dhabi Championship in the United Arab Emirates from November 5.
When LIV filed for bankruptcy last month, court documents revealed Rahm was owed $10.8 million AUD.
Although Rahm noted earlier in the year that he had several years remaining on a contract, one featuring a rumoured signing bonus in the $433 million range, the signed agreement outlines no monetary compensation.
Rahm, a Masters and US Open champion and the last player to be world No.1 in the world before Scottie Scheffler, was among the biggest and most stunning acquisitions by LIV Golf at the end of 2023 when he was the reigning Masters champion.
Rahm won four LIV events; UK and Chicago in 2024, and Hong Kong and Mexico City this year.
Rahm was the individual points champion each of the last three years, when the prize money was $28 million for individual competition and bonuses were awarded for the points race.
His total earnings from LIV over the last three years topped $144 million.
The LIV Tour will be without their major selling point - Jon Rahm. Getty Images
The PGA Tour has said it would not hold conversations with any LIV player still legally under contract.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp brought back five-time major champion Brooks Koepka with heavy financial stipulations at the start of this year, after Koepka negotiated an end to his LIV contract.
Rahm and LIV rivals Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau rejected the PGA Tour returning member program that ended earlier this year.
Two months later, the PIF of Saudi Arabia said it would no longer bankroll the rival league after the 2026 season.
