Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Jon Rahm says he “wasn’t thrilled” with the way LIV Golf 2.0 was heading as he looks to refocus for life back on the DP World Tour.
LIV Golf is attempting to relaunch next year with new money from BC Partners Capital after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrew its support having ploughed in five billion US dollars over four years.
In order to do that it has had to apply for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and, as a result, had to cancel the contracts of the existing players so they can be re-signed on new terms to LIV 2.0.
Rahm’s release saw him give up all claims against LIV’s bankruptcy estate, reported to be up to ($US150 million ($A215 million), but he has retained control of his team Legion XIII’s intellectual property and trademarks.
The Spaniard is set to return to action on the DP World Tour at this week’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, and while he reflected on his time with LIV as “positive”, the 31-year-old was left less than impressed by the future proposals.
“As much as I liked the project and the idea on, let’s say, LIV 1.0, I wasn’t thrilled with the changes they were doing to 2.0 and I just wasn’t willing to follow that path,” he said at a press conference.
“It wasn’t anything special, anything that stood out. I just didn’t like what they were going with 2.0.”
Rahm continued: “There were too many unknowns at the time. There were still quite a few, so it seemed like it was going a bit away from team golf and some of the things that we do.
“It just kind of became more of a regular tournament. It wasn’t really ever much of a consideration.”
Rahm, twice a major winner and former world number one, is yet to establish whether he will be able to follow Brooks Koepka and also make a return to the PGA Tour.
“Obviously, Brooks was able to go back through certain circumstances,” Rahm said. “I don’t know if the possibility of that would be open for me or not.
“But if I have to fulfil a one-year suspension, I think it’s a pretty good position to be that a worst-case scenario I get to play on a wonderful tour (DP World Tour) for a whole year.”
Rahm added: “I seriously doubt I get offered the same deal that Brooks did, but if I got offered exactly the same penalties as him (stringent restrictions on his financial benefits and a charitable donation of $US5 million), I probably would do it, yes.”
