Saudi Arabia
\nJon Rahm has decided to lay low and avoid public events until February after agreeing to jump from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf in a big-money move.
\nIn his first appearance Wednesday after signing with the circuit funded by Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund, Rahm was surprised to find TV cameras at an event he was attending in the northern Spanish city of Bilbao.
\n\u201cI didn\u2019t think there would be any cameras and that it would be a bit more intimate,\u201d Rahm told a select audience at the Sociedad Bilbaina hall who appeared to be outnumbered by media professionals.
\nRahm, 29, of Spain, was there to receive the Dama Bilbaina 2023 prize awarded by the private club in recognition of his sporting career.
\n\u201cI am under very strict instructions not to do public events, which I have imposed on myself a little bit for myself, and for the change I have given to the world of golf in the last week,\u201d Rahm said, giving a categorical \u201cNo!\u201d when asked if he was planning to give an interview.
\n\u201cThere will be nothing until February. I\u2019m not allowed to.\u201d
\nOne of golf\u2019s most popular and charismatic figures, Rahm became the biggest name to sign with LIV Golf since Australian Cameron Smith joined after winning the 2022 Open Championship.
\nSources told ESPN that Rahm\u2019s multiyear contract that is worth more than $300 million and includes partial ownership of his new LIV Golf team.
\nLIV Golf League CEO and commissioner Greg Norman told ESPN on Wednesday morning that several players have contacted LIV Golf officials to inquire about the remaining spots on the team that Rahm will captain.
\nRahm\u2019s departure will be seen as another massive blow to the PGA Tour, which has watched many of its stars defect to the breakaway league lured by massive paydays. On Wednesday, Rahm described himself as a \u201cnormal person.\u201d
\n\u201cI don\u2019t consider that what I do is much different and that I am more or less important than the rest,\u201d Rahm said. \u201cThe only thing is that I\u2019m seen on TV right now, and that\u2019s it. … Hopefully a little less so in the future.\u201d
\nLIV Golf starts its third season at Mayakoba in Mexico from Feb. 2-4.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Saudi Arabia Jon Rahm has decided to lay low and avoid public events until February after agreeing to jump from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf in a big-money move. In his first appearance Wednesday after signing with the circuit funded by Saudi Arabia\u2019s Public Investment Fund, Rahm was surprised to find TV cameras […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":374585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-374571","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n