Jon Rahm Quits LIV Golf Over 'Unacceptable' Contract Terms

Jon Rahm will not play in LIV Golf's next phase, his lawyer told a U.S. bankruptcy court, pulling one of the breakaway circuit's biggest names out as the league tries to emerge from Chapter 11.

What did Rahm's lawyer tell the court?

John Beck, Rahm's lawyer, told the bankruptcy hearing on Wednesday that Rahm "has independently reviewed the proposed terms of LIV 2.0, as the parties have been referring to it, and has determined that those terms are unacceptable as to him, and he will not be participating going forward in LIV 2.0," according to Al Jazeera's report on the hearing. Rahm, a two-time major champion and former world number one, joined LIV in late 2023 and has won three consecutive season-long individual titles on the tour since.

Why is LIV Golf in bankruptcy court?

LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 protection in New Jersey last month. The filing listed several star golfers as creditors still owed money under contracts the league has not paid, Al Jazeera reported. Among the named players, Rahm held the largest outstanding claim.

Which other golfers are seeking to exit their contracts?

Lawyers for Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, An Byeong-hun, Marc Leishman, Cameron Tringale and Matthew Wolff asked the bankruptcy judge to let those players out of their existing LIV contracts and to clarify their ability to negotiate with other tournament organizers and sponsors while their LIV pay goes unpaid. LIV has already agreed to terminate Sergio Garcia's contract after determining the league would not honor its terms. Ending those older contracts would not stop any of the players from signing on to LIV 2.0 later, according to the court filing described by Al Jazeera.

What is LIV 2.0 and why did Rahm reject it?

LIV 2.0 is the league's planned next phase, under which players would become equity owners of the league and its teams, according to BC Partners Credit, the firm providing new financing to help LIV emerge from restructuring. Beck did not detail in court which specific terms Rahm objected to, telling the judge only that Rahm had reviewed the proposal and determined it was unacceptable.

What happens next for LIV Golf?

LIV secured new financing from BC Partners this week aimed at strengthening the league's footing ahead of the 2027 season. The funding remains subject to bankruptcy court approval and customary conditions. The bankruptcy case continues, with the judge weighing requests from multiple players, including DeChambeau and Smith, to exit contracts tied to unpaid obligations while LIV restructures around its new equity-ownership model.