The China Mail - Rahm says golfers should be 'free' to play where they want after LIV defections

Rahm's comments came just days after former Masters champion Patrick Reed announced he was ditching LIV and returning to the PGA Tour later this season.

The move came after Brooks Koepka said in December he had left LIV and joined a Returning Member Program announced by PGA Tour chief executive officer Brian Rolapp late last year.

"I think each one has got to do what's best for them," Rahm said when asked about Reed's decision to leave LIV.

"We're free to choose where we want to play golf. At least that's how it should be."

"He's made his choice," he added. "I have nothing really against him."

Rahm's LIV and Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton agreed.

"He was out of contract and he had options and he decided that for him to move forward he wanted to go back and play on the PGA tour," he told reporters.

"If he was playing in LIV still, he makes the league stronger," he added.

"He's chosen his path and like Jon said you can only wish him the best moving forward."

Rahm was among the leading players and major winners, including Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, who committed to stay with LIV Golf in 2026.

Launched in 2022, LIV Golf's emergence led to bitter divisions throughout the sport as several of golf's biggest names left the PGA Tour after signing big-money deals.

PGA Tour boss Rolapp said Koepka's decision to leave LIV last month had prompted officials to consider how they handled the issue of embracing players who wanted to rejoin.

The result was the PGA Tour's new "Returning Member Program", which came with "severe and justified consequences".

That included a five-year forfeiture of rights to participation in the PGA Tour’s player equity program, while Koepka had agreed to make a $5 million charitable contribution to a recipient which will be determined jointly by Koepka and the PGA Tour.

F.Jackson--ThChM