Jon Rahm will not be returning to LIV Golf next season after the Spaniard failed to agree with the proposed contract terms for the new-look league after it filed for bankruptcy last month.
The Ryder Cup star’s lawyer told a New York bankruptcy court hearing that after reviewing the terms of LIV 2.0 he determined “those terms are unacceptable as to him”.
The league, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September after Saudi Arabia withdrew its multibillion-dollar funding, has secured a possible $300m in financing from BC Partners Credit in order to try to move forward with the 2027 season.
LIV and Rahm’s representatives are understood to be in advanced discussions for a consensual separation agreement, with a final court hearing scheduled for November 5.
UNPAID FEES
LIV golfers are collectively owed at least $45m in unpaid fees and have the option to leave. However, the agreement secures an extension for the league to discuss terms with its players, with talks now open until 25 October.
Documents outlining the money owed to LIV Golf’s creditors, with the 30 largest unsecured claims, show that two-time major winner Rahm tops the list with an unsecured claim of $7.5m. There is no obligation on players to sign on to LIV 2.0, regardless of whether they had previously signed multi-year contracts with LIV Golf.
Rahm was arguably the most high-profile name to join LIV when he left the PGA Tour in December 2023 for a deal worth a reported $300m. He won three consecutive season-long league titles, the most recent in 2026, pocketing over $108 million in individual and team prize money on top of his signing-on fee.
Some players, including Brooks Koepka, have since returned to the PGA Tour, which rewrote its rules in December to allow the five-time major winner to come back, subject to certain sanctions. Rahm did not follow suit and remained under long-term contract with LIV, but in May reached a deal with the DP World Tour to retain his membership and remain eligible for next year’s Ryder Cup.
LIV golfers are automatically banned for a year by the PGA Tour. The DP World Tour offers a pathway because the leading 10 players on the European circuit currently gain access to PGA Tour membership.