Ahed of final yr’s Masters, one of many greatest dialogue factors revolved across the defending champion and the way he had made an Earth-shattering transfer only a few months earlier than.
Jon Rahm went to LIV Golf, a choice he felt was greatest for himself and his household. He has had a profitable run on the Saudi-backed circuit, ending within the high 10 in each LIV Golf occasion he has performed. However a big criticism for LIV is that its tournaments don’t obtain Official World Golf Rating (OWGR) factors; due to this fact, LIV gamers have a harder time making it into main championship fields.
And but, that doesn’t apply to Rahm. His victory at Augusta Nationwide in 2023 secured him a spot in The Masters for all times. He additionally has exemptions into the 4 majors for fairly a while — becoming a member of LIV didn’t have an effect on Rahm’s skill to play within the 4 greatest tournaments of the yr, in contrast to many others. Nevertheless it did have an effect on how usually he competes in opposition to World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and different high gamers who determined to stay on the PGA Tour.
Scheffler talked about Rahm and this actuality on Wednesday.
“One of many nice joyous of my profession goes up in opposition to Jon. He’s an amazing participant, large expertise. I used to be positively shocked to see him go away final yr and I for certain miss taking part in in opposition to him,” Scheffler stated.
“We had some nice battles over time. We had some nice battles within the Ryder Cup. I believe we’ve halved most of our matches within the Ryder Cup, Jon and I’ve. I believe we may be lifeless even, I’m undecided precisely, however I really feel like we’ve performed 5 – 6 occasions. Perhaps we’ve performed 5 occasions and halved three of them, and I’ve gained one and he’s gained one. We’ve performed lots within the final two Ryder Cups, and he’s an awesome man to compete in opposition to. So I positively miss taking part in in opposition to him. I want he was — I want he acquired to do it extra usually, however positively will soak in all of the alternatives that I get to compete in opposition to him going ahead.”
A type of alternatives will likely be this yr’s Masters, the place Scheffler will arrive because the defending champion.
Rahm will likely be there, too, together with 10 different LIV gamers.
But the game stays divided, regardless of the tour assembly with the Saudi Public Funding Fund (PIF), LIV’s beneficiary, and the President of the US to try to resolve this schism.
That led Scheffler to drop some laborious truths about LIV Golf on Wednesday that golf followers can relate to throughout this exhaustive interval throughout the sport’s historical past.
“I positively miss the competitors,” Scheffler stated.
“I miss — they acquired some fairly good gamers on their tour. I nonetheless suppose the PGA Tour has by far one of the best gamers on this planet. The depth of our fields and the competitors that now we have continues to be palms down one of the best competitors that there’s within the recreation of golf. That’s why I’m nonetheless taking part in on the Tour. I really like the competitors. I want a few of these guys had stayed, however on the finish of the day, they made their selection. They knew the implications of that call, and I’m not right here to alter their minds. I maintain no ailing will towards any of these guys that left. They did what they wished to do, and you already know, I can’t management their life. I’m not going to take a seat right here and say they need to have finished one thing otherwise. They made their selection.
“If we need to work out why the sport of golf isn’t again collectively, go ask these guys. Go to wherever they’re taking part in this week and work out when the sport goes to return again collectively. We’ll see.”
Who is aware of how issues will play out within the weeks and months to return. However a minimum of one of the best of one of the best will reunite at Augusta Nationwide, one of the best course on this planet for the best event on this planet. Golf followers can rejoice about that, a minimum of.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.
