'It Wasn't Anything Special' - Jon Rahm Explains Reasons For Rejecting LIV 2.0 And Shares Hope Over Fast PGA Tour Return

Two-time Major winner Jon Rahm admitted "it wasn't really ever much of a consideration" to sign up for the new-look LIV Golf League ahead of his DP World Tour return.

Rahm is making his first official DP World Tour start since announcing he was leaving LIV Golf last month at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship - the opening week of the Play-Offs.

During his pre-tournament press conference, the Spaniard was quizzed on exactly why he rejected the chance to continue his career with the team-based circuit following three extremely successful seasons where he won the individual championship each time.

First acknowledging he enjoyed his time with LIV, Rahm went on to say the league's future did very little to inspire him like it once did.

The 31-year-old said: "Well, I would say I can only reflect on those three years as a positive. It was a wonderful experience. Played a lot of good golf. Obviously individually and as a team, we did great.

"And then, you said why I rejected the terms? As much as I liked the project and the idea on, let's say, LIV 1.0, I wasn't thrilled with the changes they were doing to 2.0 and I just wasn't willing to follow that path, right.

"It wasn't anything special, anything that stood out. I just, yeah, I didn't like what they were doing with 2.0."

The exit of the Saudi PIF as LIV's backers has caused a significant knock-on effect for LIV Golf, with new creditors BC Partners attempting to lift a second iteration off the ground in 2027.

However, Rahm revealed very few details were nailed down ahead of the player-commitment deadline last week and, of those that were, it felt too similar to the tours which are already firmly established.

He continued: "Too many unknowns at the time and there are still quite a few. It seemed like it was going away from team golf and some of the things that made LIV, LIV.

"It just became more of a regular tour. So yeah, it wasn't really ever much of a consideration to be honest."

Now a fully concentrated DP World Tour member once again, Rahm's immediate future lies with the European circuit as he tries to win this week's $9 million Rolex Series event in the Middle East.

The new father of four, who admitted he is very rusty after a long flight from Arizona following the birth of his latest child, will be attempting to jump up from 51st in the Race to Dubai and into the top-50 to ensure he also competes in Dubai.

After that, 2027 is very much up in the air for the Ryder Cup star. The most likely situation is he spends a full season competing on the DP World Tour given PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp stated there would not be the same offer sent out to returning LIV golfers that Brooks Koepka was given late last year.

Nevertheless, Rahm says he will "have a discussion" with PGA Tour bosses to enquire about a possible route back earlier than expected with the safety net of a full campaign on the DP World Tour under him should he be unsuccessful.

With regards to 2027 and his future plans, Rahm said: "As of right now, I really don't know what 2027 is going to look like for me, right.

"So I have yet to have a discussion with the PGA Tour to see if there's any path back for next year. So I don't know, as of right now.

"Until I get clarity on that, yeah, my plan would be to spend the year on the DP World Tour, and I'm looking forward to it.

"Currently looking at the schedule to see how I can organise it to play the events I want to play. You know, maybe have a chance to have a bit of a different year to what I have in the past.

"But I haven't really gone too deeply into it just because there's still a question mark, right.

"Obviously Brooks was able to go back through certain circumstances. I don't know if the possibility of that would be open for me or not.

"But if I have to fulfill a one-year suspension, I think it's a pretty good position to be that a worst-case scenario I get to play on a wonderful tour for a whole year.

"I will be supporting the Tour, for sure, and even if I get to go and play PGA Tour events, I'll still play European Tour events, as well. I'll play some events that I want to play like I've done in the past and maybe a few more."

Rahm was among three other players who were offered the chance to make their PGA Tour return prior to the start of the 2026 campaign via the Returning Member Program but rejected the deal months before the PIF's exit from LIV Golf.

Pushed on whether Rahm would now take the very same deal if offered it again, the former World No.1 admitted his answer would be different this time.

He said: "Most likely, yeah. Why not? Yeah, but it's a big if. I seriously doubt I get offered the same deal that Brooks did.

"But yeah, if I got offered exactly the same penalties at him, I probably would do it, yes."