Jon Rahm has welcomed the decision to replace Greg Norman with Scott O'Neil as LIV Golf CEO as a positive move in helping the ongoing talks with the PGA Tour.
Norman performed his role as chief disruptor perfectly as LIV Golf made a big splash in the sport, but Rahm noted that there is possibly too much "bad blood" between the Australian and the PGA Tour for talks to move forward smoothly.
So removing Norman from the picture and replacing him with a man with vast experience as a US sports executive was the right move, according to the Spaniard.
Rahm made a huge move to LIV Golf but has always spoken of his desire to also play in PGA Tour events so is among those keen for golf to heal the divide - and he feels having Norman move more into the background can help move things along.
"I think, unfortunately, there's been a little bit, possibly a little too much bad blood between Greg and maybe the governing bodies, and to have somebody outside of that might help the situation," Rahm said after missing the cut at the Dubai Desert Classic.
"Plus his [O'Neil] overall view with what a league or an organization could work and should work with his experience in the NBA, right. With that, and based on what I talked to him about and the vision he has and his enthusiasm, I think he's going to be a very positive impact for LIV, and FOX, obviously, as well.
"Even though it's mainly a US thing to have the largest market, golf market in the world be able to watch LIV Golf on a channel that for the better part should be pretty much every TV in the country, it's very good. Looking forward to hopefully improving some years. A lot of improvement this year."
Rahm has always praised Norman for how he has handled things at LIV, but feels O'Neil coming in as a relative outsider can only help moving forward.
Norman was effective in getting LIV off the ground, but also had more than a few disagreements along the way, and so O'Neil coming in with less baggage from the last few years should help repair relationships.
"You know, even though Greg has treated me great, I think having somebody like Scott who is a little bit outside the world of golf but very much in the world of sport I think makes him kind of a perfect match for that," added Rahm.
"I think having an outsider, I say outsider because he has not been involved, could be a very good thing when it comes to him sitting down at the table with the other governing bodies.
"I think an outside perspective, and maybe a less, possibly a less threatening image, might help that, as well."
