Jon Rahm Pinpoints ‘Key Difference’ That ‘Could Help A Lot Of Fans Trust In LIV'

Jon Rahm thinks a switch to 72 holes will encourage fans to “trust” LIV Golf, having noticed that a lot of the criticism aimed at the breakaway series centres around the fact tournaments are played over three rounds instead of the traditional four.

Speaking to the BBC in the lead-up to his Masters defence, the Spaniard suggested a move to 72 holes could expedite a unification of the men’s professional game, and he doubled down on those comments ahead of this week’s LIV Golf Adelaide event.

“I think there's a level of comfort when I say that because it's a little bit more of what we're used to seeing in golf,” Rahm said. “I came to this realisation, and I think it could help a lot of fans trust in LIV a little bit more because that's a lot of the complaints that I see from a lot of people, but I made the analogy a little bit ago of why I think we can end up with a great product.

“In football, European football, you have the Premier League, you have the Spanish League, you have the German League, you have Serie A, you have the Champions League, the Euro Cup, many other things.

“The one thing I realized is they all play under the same set of rules. While we play under most set of rules, the one key difference is 72 holes.

“The only sport that I see that does it a little bit different to where they play pretty much the same and then the Grand Slams are different is tennis. Even within then, every tournament or every championship sat same set of rules. That's one of the main reasons why I believe it could help us.”

If it was to happen, it would represent a significant departure from one of the main USPs of the Saudi-backed series. It could also open the door to world ranking points.

Rahm is well aware the decision is out of his hands, though, and insists it “makes no difference” competing over 54 holes.

“At the end of the day, LIV is a business,” Rahm added. “If it doesn't fit the product, it doesn't fit the product. I'm just a player. There's a lot of people that are a lot smarter than me that can figure it out and explain why they believe 54 holes may be better for them.

“I can tell you from player experience, and I tell the people that give me that argument, if you come watch an event, you forget by Sunday that you've only played three rounds. It makes no difference.

“You're competing to win. You win or you don't win. By the end of the day, if I told you, oh, it was 54 holes, you really don't think about it because you're just immersed in the competition, and the competition is the same.”

Rahm does, however, openly admit he misses some playing in certain PGA Tour events. He was unable to defend his titles at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the American Express and the Genesis Invitational, while he was also absent for the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Should an agreement finally be reached between the PGA Tour and LIV backers to allow players to move fluidly between circuits, what, then, would an ideal schedule look like for Rahm?

“That hasn't really presented itself yet, so I don't know,” he said. “Right now obviously it's 14 LIV events that I want to play, so that, Majors, Ryder Cup for sure, and then after that, yeah, there's some PGA Tour events that if it's not conflicting with my LIV schedule I'd love to go play.

“I've said numerous times and I'll say it again, Palm Springs, Torrey Pines, Phoenix, LA, if I'm allowed to be able to play Players. Those are events that if I could, I would love to play.

“I'm no stranger to playing 23, 24 events a year in the past, especially with my PGA Tour schedule and DP World Tour schedule. Yeah, I would be up to playing, and I'd still try to go play the Spanish Open and whatever I can in Spain, as well. That's just what I want to do.

“Again, it given the opportunity I would try to play as many as I can within the means. I still want to perform at the right times and perform at the right tournaments.”