Jon Rahm has pocketed an extraordinary fortune since joining LIV Golf — but his lucrative move didn’t sit well with Tiger Woods, who pointedly ignored the Spaniard’s attempt to reach out.
The two-time major champion sent shockwaves through the golf world when he left the PGA Tour in December 2023 to join the Saudi-backed league. Despite previously insisting that no amount of money could tempt him away, Rahm eventually signed a jaw-dropping deal reportedly worth up to £450 million.
Before his switch, Rahm was one of the PGA Tour’s biggest defenders. “Money is great, but when Kelley and I first talked about it, we said, ‘Will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it won’t,’” Rahm said during the 2022 U.S. Open. “I could retire right now and live a happy life. I play for love of the game, for legacy, not for money.”
Yet, in the end, the offer from LIV proved impossible to resist. According to Sport in Spain, Rahm has earned £39.5 million ($52 million) from just 24 LIV Golf events — nearly matching the £38.7 million ($51 million) he made from 153 tournaments on the PGA Tour. His total LIV prize money now stands at a staggering £57.1 million ($74.9 million), including £27.4 million ($36 million) for winning two individual season titles.
However, not everyone in the golf world shared Rahm’s enthusiasm for his new venture. Shortly after announcing his move, Rahm revealed that Tiger Woods hadn’t responded to his text message.
“I texted Tiger and the people close to him when I signed,” Rahm told ESPN in February 2024. “I just wanted him to know — this was a personal decision. It’s a big change in how golfers are compensated. I’d be lying if I said money wasn’t part of it. I’m getting more to play the same sport with more time off — that sounds great to me.”
While Woods stayed silent, Rory McIlroy, another vocal PGA Tour loyalist, was far more understanding. “Rory has been supportive publicly of my decision, and he was privately as well,” Rahm said.
Now 30, Rahm has continued to justify his record-breaking contract. Most recently, he was a key figure in Team Europe’s Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black, securing three crucial points as Europe edged the United States 15–13.
From PGA prodigy to LIV Golf powerhouse, Rahm’s career has been one of reinvention — even if it’s cost him a friendship with one of golf’s greatest legends.
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