Rory McIlroy: Golf in danger of 'cannibalising itself' after Jon Rahm's LIV switch

Following Jon Rahm's switch to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy now fears that the game could become less relevant, adding that competing tours "divides the eyeballs that are on the game".

Rahm, the reigning Masters champion becomes the second current major winner on the LIV circuit after US PGA victor Brooks Koepka.

Explaining his move, the 29-year-old Spaniard said: "I made this decision because I believe it's the best for me and my family and everybody I've been able to talk to has been really supportive of me, so I'm very comfortable with my decision.

"I'm no stranger to hearing some negative things on social media or in media. It's part of what it is, we're public figures but you just learn to deal with it right? This certainly won't define who I am or change who I am."

In June of this year, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf agreed to merge commercial operations under common ownership, with an initial deadline for such a merger on 31 December.

For McIlroy, who previously was at the forefront to opposing LIV's emergence, Rahm's high-profile switch is another example of more division within the game of golf.

He told Sky Sports: "My fear is that we continue down this path where we have competing tours and it divides the eyeballs that are on the game.

"Some people like LIV, the majority of people like the PGA Tour, but if LIV start to take a few players each and every year it's really going to be divided and that's no good for anyone.

"You're basically cannibalising yourself as a sport, sort of the same as what boxing has done with all the different organisations and a few other sports have as well. To me, having all the best golfers under the one umbrella is the best way forward because I think that's really what