Jon Rahm reveals Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s contrasting reactions to $500million LIV Golf move

JON RAHM has revealed he received two very different reactions from Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods after moving to LIV Golf.The Spaniard shocked the golfing world after leaving the PGA Tour last December in a $500million (£390m) move for the Saudi-backed tournament.

Rahm, who heavily criticized the LIV Golf tour, has not spoken to some of his PGA Tour pals since his exit. Since his multi-million pound move, Rahm said Woods was not as accepting of the decision as his friend and business partner McIlory. The 29-year-old told ESPN: “Rory has been supportive publicly of my decision and he was privately as well.”

Whereas when the star was asked if he had heard from Woods he said on Gary Neville’s The Overlap podcast: “Tiger? No, not really. “I mean, Tiger, I texted him and the people that try to reach out, you know, the process, when I signed and I just let him know, ‘Hey, you know, this is a personal decision.’” Since Rahm’s exit Woods has not given many public appearances.

He was asked twice during the PNC Championship about Rahm and didn’t offer much insight into their relationship. Woods said: “Well, there’s been a lot of talk over the years of certain players going. “And it was speculation until it happened because there’s been rumours of names going and not going, and whether they materialized or not.

“So we assumed it was just speculation till it happened.” But Woods was not asked again at the Genesis Invitational after he withdrew from the tournament with the flu. Meanwhile, McIlory has shared his support for Rahm and even called for the Ryder Cup to change its rules to make sure the Spaniard would be eligible to play in 2025.

Responding to his criticism of the Saudi-run tour McIlory said: “I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start. “I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realize that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods’ position.”