Jon Rahm, who slipped on the Green Jacket at Augusta in 2023, remains LIV Golf’s marquee signing after joining the circuit that same year on a record-breaking deal.
The Spaniard has now addressed the latest chatter swirling around the tour, following reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) could be considering stepping back from its financial backing of LIV.
Midweek reports suggested PIF might be preparing to pull the pin on funding, with claims of an “emergency meeting” among LIV leadership adding to the noise. Speaking ahead of the LIV stop in Mexico City, CEO Scott O’Neil dismissed talk of any crisis huddle, though he stopped short of confirming PIF’s long-term stance.
What O’Neil did make clear was that the tour is playing through without disruption, insisting the 2026 campaign remains fully on course and moving ahead at full speed.
Despite that reassurance, the speculation hasn’t exactly been laid to rest. Rahm, who reportedly teed up his LIV move with a $300 million bonus when he left the PGA Tour, was inevitably asked to weigh in after his opening round in Mexico.
His response was measured and firmly inside the ropes. Rahm indicated that without confirmation from those calling the shots, there was little value in getting caught up in the rumor mill. His focus, he said, stayed locked on preparation and performance.
He noted how quickly the reports surfaced, suggesting that in most cases players get an early read on developments within the league. This time, however, the situation unfolded so rapidly that it never became a distraction.
Speaking during the live broadcast, Rahm doubled down on that mindset—emphasizing that he’s sticking to controllables, continuing to fine-tune his game, and approaching the week as he would any other tournament on the schedule.
The stakes may be higher for Rahm than for some of his peers. Earlier in the season, he declined to sign a waiver with the DP World Tour that would have allowed him to compete in LIV events without penalty. As it stands, he’s carrying roughly $3 million in unpaid fines, which he has yet to settle.
Running parallel to the LIV storyline is a broader shift in PIF’s investment strategy. The fund has agreed to offload its 70% stake in Saudi club Al Hilal to Kingdom Holding Company, a Riyadh-based firm listed on the Saudi exchange.
The move aligns with PIF’s updated game plan for 2026–2030, which focuses on reallocating capital, sharpening returns, and restructuring its portfolio into a smaller number of integrated economic “ecosystems.” Officials describe it as a strategic recalibration aimed at long-term value and efficiency, while continuing to drive Saudi Arabia’s wider economic transformation.
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