'I Definitely Wouldn't Mind Going Back To 72 Holes' - Jon Rahm Calls On LIV To Make 'Helpful' Format Change

Jon Rahm has called on the LIV Golf League to expand its number of holes to 72 per tournament in the belief that the switch could ultimately help contribute towards unification in the men's professional game.

The current Masters champion was a vocal critic of LIV's shorter format and lack of cut even before signing for the PIF-backed circuit late last year, stating that it was "not a golf tournament." Since then, Rahm admitted he has warmed to the idea but is still in favor of moving on from 54 holes.

Rahm - who is perfectly aware of the sway he holds as one of the elite players in the game - has called on LIV's governing voices to consider increasing the number of holes in order to push forward with bringing the best golfers back together more often.

Speaking to BBC Sport's Iain Carter, the 29-year-old said: "If there ever was a way where LIV could go to 72 holes I think it would help all of this argument a lot.

"The closer I think we can get LIV Golf to some other things the better. I think it would be for some kind of unification to feed into a world tour or something like that. I don't know if I'm alone in this, but I definitely wouldn't mind going back to 72 holes."

Around the time of LIV signing Rahm, 2023 Individual Champion Talor Gooch said "discussions will be had" about a potential alteration to the league's format and rules.

Speaking to Australian Golf Digest, Gooch said: “We haven’t had an open forum discussion with all the players. But you get both sides … guys who would welcome it [72 holes] and some guys who are opposed to it. Discussions will be had, and it’ll be interesting to see what comes of it."

Two-time Major winner, Rahm admitted that he does now see the merits of a shorter week, however, arguing that the standard is so competitive on LIV that he can often forget fewer holes have been completed.

Rahm continued: "I see everybody's scepticism [regarding intensity of the competition]. I get it. I've been there, I voiced it to more people than most people would probably speak to.

"It was one of the things that was holding me back from possibly joining LIV Golf. But now, having been here, once you start the tournament I really sometimes have forgotten that I've only played 54 holes."

Golf - at least at Rahm's level - has been fractured ever since LIV arrived on the scene in 2022 and began attracting a variety of top professionals over to its alternative and highly-lucrative eco-system.

Discussions have taken place in terms of trying to fix the splintered men's game since the June 6 agreement became public, but Rahm and co.'s decision to move from the PGA Tour to LIV only complicated matters.

But the 29-year-old believes - due to his standing in the sport - some of the progress made in negotiations towards a more aligned future in men's pro golf could have been down to him.

He said: "I could be the start of a tipping point in that sense. I understood the weight that [my] decision could have and the impact it could have. I understood that perfectly and that's why it wasn't an easy decision.

"The balance of golf could be disturbed a little bit. Luckily in my career, especially last year, I accomplished a lot and I got to be one of the bigger names in golf.

"There are few active players that could have had a bigger impact than myself in that sense. Not to be patting myself on the back too much, but I understood the position I was in."