Former world No. 1 golfer Jon Rahm and LIV Golf reached a separation agreement on Wednesday. Under the deal, Rahm agreed to release all of his monetary and economic claims against the embattled circuit in exchange for the return of his exclusive name, image and likeness rights and other related marks, according to court records. The agreement must be approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey Judge Michael B. Kaplan on Nov. 5.
Rahm, 31, is LIV Golf's largest unsecured creditor. He was owed $7.5 million when the league voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 8. It is believed he was owed more than $100 million over the remainder of his contract, which reportedly was worth more than $300 million when he left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in December 2023. He had nearly $107 million in on-course earnings during his LIV Golf career and was the league's seasonlong individual champion in each of the three years he played, from 2024 to 2026.
Rahm's attorney informed the court on Oct. 7 that the two-time major champion would not be part of LIV 2.0, saying the proposed terms were unacceptable to him. Under the separation agreement, his LIV Golf contracts will be terminated and he forfeited all equity or membership interests in his team. He will retain the "Rahmbo" and "Legion XIII" marks, though he cannot use the Legion XIII name in another league such as TGL. LIV Golf keeps ownership of historical content featuring him.
Rahm is scheduled to play in the Abu Dhabi Championship on Nov. 5-8. It is unclear how quickly he could return to the PGA Tour, as PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has indicated the tour will not bring back its Returning Member Program. Golfers have until Oct. 25 to decide whether to participate in LIV 2.0, and a decision on whether the league will cease operations or move forward is expected by the end of the month.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing