Rahm understands sense of betrayal over PGA Tour-PIF deal as Koepka embraces chaos

The US Open this week will be the first major since the shock partnership announcement between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, and while Jon Rahm said there is a sense of “betrayal” Brooks Koepka is embracing the “chaos”.

Rahm and Koepka – winners of the season's first two majors at The Masters and PGA Championship respectively – were among the players blindsided by the agreement which will see the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and PIF join forces in a new for-profit entity.

The deal is being billed as one that will end the bitter rift that erupted when the breakaway LIV Golf series launched in October 2021. Several of the world's leading players, including Koepka, left the PGA Tour to join LIV, causing significant divisions in men's professional golf.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has been branded a “hypocrite” for previously urging players to resist the huge welcome bonuses being offered by LIV Golf only to later accept financial investment from PIF, which finances LIV. “Legacy, not leverage” was the term frequently used by Monahan.

That, combined with the manner in which the announcement was made without informing the players, has left a sour taste with some, said Rahm.

“I think it gets to a point where you want to have faith in management, and I want to have faith that this is the best thing for all of us, but it's clear that that's not the consensus,” said the Spanish world No 2, who turned down a reported $200 million offer from LIV.

“The general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management.”

Rahm said he understood the need to keep negotiations quiet to avoid leaks to the media, but with so little information available about what the future golf landscape will look like