Jon Rahm has revealed he believes the PGA Tour should be 'thankful' for the formation of their new-found rivals, LIV Golf. Since its inception in June, LIV has proven to be a fierce competitor to the sport's leading circuit.
The Saudi-backed series has looked to lure a number of golf's biggest names away from the American-based tour, thanks to mega-money signing on fees and lucrative prize pots. In response the PGA Tour has looked to stifle LIV's progression.
This came after Jay Monahan and co decided to suspend any players who made the Saudi switch, with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau all punished.
The PGA Tour have also ramped up their funding, increasing prize money on offer in competition and on the circuit's Player Impact Programme, as well as elevating the status of a number of events, in what is seen to be a response to LIV's recent launch.
Whilst both sides have been quick to take aim at each other, Rahm believes the Saudi-backed series has in fact had a positive impact for players having seemingly forced the PGA Tour to make the incentive changes. Speaking ahead of the Hero World Challenge, he said: "I mean, I think on this side of things we should be thankful that LIV happened.
"I don't know if those changes would have happened if LIV wasn't in the picture. So to an extent, yeah, we should be thankful." Adding that he hopes the animosity between the two sides can be put aside, Rahm commented: "Like I said, on this side a lot of the changes we owe to the appearance of LIV.
"I don't think it's a bad thing. I just hope the negative, let's say, feel that this whole thing has, right, the animosity goes away. I don't think there needs to be a lawsuit, I don't think each side needs to be saying anything negative about each other. If you want to try to coexist, coexist."
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With the PGA Tour and LIV Golf locked in a lawsuit, the idea of peacefully coexisting does not seem likely anytime soon. Two of LIV's biggest critics have been Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and both believe if a relationship is to be built, the breakaway circuit's boss Greg Norman needs to step aside.
Calling on Norman to quit, Woods said on Tuesday: "I think Greg has to go, first of all. And then obviously litigation against us and then our countersuit against them, those would then have to be at a stay as well. So then we can talk, we can all talk freely... I think Greg's got to leave and then we can eventually, hopefully, have a stay between the two lawsuits and figure something out."
