Jon Rahm has admitted LIV Golf’s uncertain future has created further “turbulence” but refused to reveal whether he could follow Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed back to the PGA Tour.
The two-time major winner is preparing to make his first Irish Open appearance since lifting the trophy at Lahinch in 2019.
However, questions surrounding the crisis engulfing LIV dominated the build-up to this week’s tournament at Doonbeg in County Clare.
The Saudi-backed circuit golf circuit after league’s prospects have been thrown into serious doubt following the withdrawal of financial support from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Its 2026 campaign ended prematurely after the planned team championship in Detroit was cancelled.
LIV subsequently confirmed it was “scaling back operations”, with several members of staff reportedly losing their jobs at the beginning of September.
Rahm joined the breakaway league in a deal reportedly worth hundreds of millions of pounds before the start of the 2024 season season.
Asked whether he had received any clarity over what would happen next, the Spaniard insisted little had changed since he last addressed the situation.
“Yes and no, it hasn’t really changed from my last interview in Indianapolis a few weeks ago,” Rahm said.
“And there’s just a lot of things in place, right? There’s a lot of things that could happen and it’s one of those things where time’s gonna tell.”
His Legion XIII team-mate Tyrrell Hatton has said he expects LIV to operate again next year, despite the dramatic developments surrounding the competition.
Rahm also appeared relaxed about the uncertainty facing its leading players.
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“To be fair for us people that joined LIV, I’m pretty good at dealing with turbulence,” he added.
Koepka and Reed have already left LIV to secure routes back to the PGA Tour, raising speculation that other high-profile defectors could follow.
Rahm refused to rule out pursuing a similar return when questioned about his future, offering only a brief “we’ll see what happens”.
The 31-year-old and several other LIV players, including Hatton, were allowed to continue competing on the DP World Tour this season after reaching an agreement with the organisation.
That arrangement applies only to 2026, meaning fresh negotiations could be required if LIV continues next year.
For now, Rahm is attempting to concentrate on his pursuit of a third Irish Open crown.
He claimed his maiden DP World Tour title at Portstewart in 2017 before winning the competition again two years later.
Another victory would see him match Spanish great Seve Ballesteros’ total of three Irish Open successes.
Rahm enters the tournament following another impressive campaign in which he won twice on LIV and secured his third consecutive season-long individual title.
He also finished joint second at the USPGA Championship in May.
Despite encountering wet and windy conditions after arriving in Ireland, Rahm played down the importance of his early preparations.
“It truly doesn’t matter how my game feels right now,” he said.
“I think it was the second Irish Open that my game felt terrible leading into it and for the first two days and then somehow ended up winning.
“I’ve been playing good golf all year so I’m hoping I can do it again.”
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