In the world of golf, is free market capitalism colliding with the spirit of sportsmanship and nationalism?
There’s news that Masters champion Jon Rahm has decided to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf for an insane contract worth $300 Million with a capital M.
Besides the eye poppingly huge number of $300 Million why is this news a big deal you might be asking? Well, hypocrisy for one thing.
It seems Jon Rahm has had a change of heart about money recently. He’s previously been quoted as saying that LIV Golf is “not a golf tournament”, and pledged his “fealty” to the PGA Tour. I guess when you start throwing out numbers like $300 million loyalty goes out the door.
Now he’s changed his tune and is quoted as saying “As a husband, as a father and as a family man I have a duty to my family to give them the best opportunities and the most amount of resources possible”.
For a 29 year old who’s already earned $48 million during his golf career he probably doesn’t need the money. I mean, who ever really “needs” $300 million? Am I right? That’s like a crazy thing little kids on the playground say they want to be worth when they grow up.
But with a $300 million dollar offer from LIV Golf Jon Rahm happily accepted, or was bribed depending on your opinion, a contract from LIV Golf like so many other formerly loyal PGA Tour stars like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Lee Westwood to name a few.
Since 2021 the Saudi Arabia’s state-owned sovereign wealth fund, known as the Public Investment Fund (or PIF for short), has spent over $6.3 billion acquiring high-profile sports assets across the world.
According to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch this is Saudi Arabia’s attempt at “sportswashing” in order to attempt to cover up the country’s abysmal human rights record.
We’re now on the verge of the PGA Tour merging with LIV Golf to create a new golf league in 2024 if the proposed merger goes ahead. Then one of America’s favorite pastimes will be owned by a foreign country whose vision for the sport may not be in alignment with the rest of the world’s golf fans. Let that sink in.
I have a duty to my family’: This golf superstar accepted $300M to play for the Saudi-backed LIV tour after saying he