Jon Rahm Not Listed In Field For PGA Tour Title Defence Amid LIV Golf Rumors

The Spaniard was not among the list of players confirmed for The American Express during a media day

Jon Rahm with the trophy after his win at The American Express
Jon Rahm was not named in a list of players confirmed for The American Express
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mike Hall
By
published

Some of the world’s best players will compete at PGA Tour event The American Express in January. However, one big name who appears set to miss the tournament is champion Jon Rahm.

The Spaniard won this year’s event at California’s La Quinta Country Club by one shot over Davis Thompson. That was Rahm’s second win in the tournament after he beat Andrew Landry in a playoff in 2018 when it was named the CareerBuilder Challenge. However, anyone hoping he will be going for a hat-trick of wins at the tournament next year seems likely to be disappointed.

John Rahm and Andrew Landry at the 2018 CareerBuilder Challenge

John Rahm beat Andrew Landry in the 2018 edition, when it was named the CareerBuilder Challenge

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A message posted on X by Blake Arthur, a journalist for California-based TV channel KESQ, who attended the event, confirmed that Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Tom Kim and Xander Schauffele would be in the field. However, Golf Digest’s Joel Beall reposted the message adding that Rahm was not named among the group of confirmed participants.

Rahm’s victory at the tournament earlier this year was his second in succession after he beat Collin Morikawa by two shots at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. 

Those wins marked the start of a hugely successful year for Rahm, who also won the Genesis Invitational and The Masters at Augusta National to add a second Major to his name after his 2021 US Open win at Torrey Pines. Rahm also had two spells as World No.1 during the year and was instrumental in helping Team Europe reclaim the Ryder Cup from the US at Marco Simone.

Rahm, whose most recent appearance came in the DP World Tour Championship, where he finished T5, has been the subject of speculation over a move to LIV Golf in recent weeks.

In October, he also pulled out of the debut TGL season before Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s tech-focused league was postponed until 2025 after its arena was damaged due to power failure.

The American Express will be held between 18 and 21 January.

Mike Hall
Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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