Jon Rahm reached out to fans at the LIV Golf event in Mayakoba last week.

Jon Rahm knows exactly what he’s talking about in June 2022, and he knows the questions the media often asks when he announces himself as a new player for LIV Golf. So before we go any further, let’s take a step back.

“The money is good, but [wife] Kelly and I started talking about it, and if I got $400 million, would it change the way we live? No, it doesn’t change anything,” Rahm said when asked about the possibility of joining LIV Golf ahead of the 2022 US Open. “Honestly, with the money I’m making now, I could retire and live a very happy life without having to play golf again. I think. So I never played golf for financial reasons. I play for the love of the game and I want to compete with the best in the world. “I’ve always been interested in history and heritage, and now there’s that interest in the PGA Tour.”

But a lot can change in 18 months. This is especially true in today’s world of professional golf. Since December, long-standing rumors have become reality, and Lahm has officially joined LIV for the 2024 season. So what gives?

“I would say there were two situations,” Rahm said while speaking with GOLF’s Dylan Dethier on the latest episode of The Breakthrough, available on YouTube. “I think the dynamic is starting to change. I think there were a lot of breakups at that time. Okay, if I wanted to change, there must have been other reasons besides money, right? When I said that [June 2022], I meant it and it was true. Now when they slap you with a large amount of money, your feelings really change. I try not to be a materialistic person, but I owe it to my family to help them be as successful as possible, and I think my kids have changed that mindset a bit. So money is part of it. I won’t lie. But again, when I said it, I didn’t fully understand what I was talking about. Because you don’t really understand.

There are different emotions here. This is correct. There is truth in this. Can you earn that much money?

“Yes”.

Dethier and Rahm sat down last month at the Biltmore in Coral Gables, Fla., to delve into Rahm’s upbringing, the other sports he enjoyed growing up (canoe club!), finding his way in golf and his fascinating story. had a conversation. About college recruitment. I wanted to win the Masters or something. Rahm even said his Masters win and 2021 US Open win were “decisive factors” in signing with LIV. A win at Augusta means a lifetime invitation, and Rahm is exempt from the US Open until at least 2031. Another factor? The dynamics of change in golf. “What opened the door a little bit was the deal between the PGA Tour and LIV,” Rahm said. “So when that happened, I thought we would definitely come together. What goes around comes around, so you have to hear for yourself what they have to offer and what their vision is. I felt I had an obligation to listen to them and I did when the season ended.

In the weeks since Rahm spoke with Dethier, the world of golf has continued to change. Last week, the tournament announced an investment of up to $3 billion from Strategic Sports Group. What is the official contract with PIF in Saudi Arabia? Still waiting.