LIV Golf might be losing its best player in short order.
James Corrigan of The Telegraph reported Wednesday that sources told him LIV executives are "almost resigned" to Jon Rahm's exit from the league. The DP World Tour has already been notified of Rahm's intentions, according to Corrigan's report, meaning a 2027 return to the Europe-based circuit could be in the works.
Sources reportedly told Corrigan that LIV still owes Rahm "a 'nine-figure' portion of the staggering $300 million signing-on fee.” Last week, LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said the league had "reached an agreement" with a lead investor to continue its operations after the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced in April it was ending its financial support of the league. But O'Neil did
not specify who the new investor is, how much money the potential deal is worth and when exactly it will be finalized.
Rahm, a two-time major champion, is the highest-ranked LIV player in the Official World Golf Ranking at No. 13. He has four LIV Golf wins to his name, including two in 2026, and clinched his third straight LIV Golf individual championship last week at LIV Golf New York.
The news of Rahm's potential departure comes less than 24 hours after Gabby Herzig with The Athletic reported the DP World Tour is set to fine LIV players in 2027 as part of its conflicting events policy. Earlier this year, eight LIV Golf members were granted a conditional release to continue playing LIV tournaments while maintaining status on the DPWT. That deal is "highly unlikely" to be offered to LIV players again in 2027, a source reportedly told The Athletic.
Rahm was not one of those eight players, instead choosing to hold out for better terms, leading to a months-long standoff between the two parties. In May, Rahm said he and the DPWT had reached an agreement to end the stalemate. Maintaining DPWT membership is crucial to many European players, especially those of Rahm's stature, as it's required to be eligible for the Ryder Cup.
On its official schedule, LIV has two events remaining in 2026: LIV Golf Indianapolis at The Club at Chatham Hills, and the LIV Golf Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John's in Michigan. But the latter is as good as canceled, according to TV host Craig Doyle, who said the Indianapolis tournament will be the league's final event of the season while speaking on a LIV Golf broadcast. As of Thursday, the public was no longer able to purchase tickets to the Michigan event through LIV's official site, though there has been no official statement from the league itself.
Nick Stavas is a digital producer and commerce writer for Golfweek. Follow him on X/Twitter (@nickstavas).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Report: LIV Golf executives 'almost resigned' to Jon Rahm's departure from the league
