'A Less Threatening Image' - Rahm Backs New CEO To Have Positive Impact On LIV Future
Jon Rahm feels a change of LIV Golf CEO may help smooth over any talks about the future as there was "a little too much bad blood" between Greg Norman and the PGA Tour
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."
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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."
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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