LIV’s star man is adamant “a bigger effort could have been made” to bring world-class golf to Australia
Arnold Palmer epitomised achievement and philanthropy in golf.
“When you’ve reached the top, send the elevator back down for the others” – that’s the essence of the Arnie Award, given annually by our American colleagues at Golf Digest in recognition of golfers who give back. This year, they chose Rory McIlroy for the honour, in recognition of his work as the front man for the PGA Tour in its unsuccessful battle to stave off LIV Golf. Fair call.
Try as he might, ultimately, it proved too big a chore for Rory. In November, he resigned as a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board to focus more on letting his game do the talking – the old Rory we came to love before he went all anti-Greg Norman and proclaimed LIV Golf was “dead in the water”.
“I just didn’t feel like I could commit the time and energy into doing that,” he says. “Something had to give, and I felt like it was the right time to step off.”
There could be no escaping the irony, then, when Australian Golf Digest duly awarded its Services to Golf Award to Norman for his efforts in disrupting the golf landscape and bringing world-class golf back to our shores. One needn’t test the temperature of the Australian golf public on that decision.
Such choices are all part of the fun of international publishing syndications: we may share the same masthead as our Yankee mothership but our pages, particularly on this issue, print in very contrasting ink. In a broader sense, what’s great for corporate America is – and has – never been good for those countries in far-flung places like us, but could Jon Rahm’s mega-money switch to the Saudi-backed league change everything in 2024?
I caught up with our cover star in the new year to get his take on playing Down Under, and whether this country has been unrightfully starved of the world’s best players for too long. Something tells us ‘Rahmbo’ is going to be a big hit in Adelaide.
Check out our cover story and 2024 LIV Golf season preview from page 64 in our February 2024 edition.
Australian Golf Digest: Jon, rumour has it LIV Golf Adelaide is your new favourite tournament. True?
Jon Rahm: [Laughs] I’d say Valderrama is 1a and Adelaide is 1b. Obviously going home [to Spain] is always special, but I’ve heard so many good things about LIV Golf Adelaide. I watched some of the broadcast last year and the course looked absolutely incredible, and the atmosphere… well, what can you say about that? The party hole (12th hole) looked amazing. It’s not easy to replicate the most spectacular holes in golf and LIV Golf did it on their first attempt, which was pretty special. I am yet to meet an Australian who is not nice so I’m looking forward to getting back. I can’t really put it into words just how excited I am to get there.
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Given Australia’s contribution to the game, do you feel we’ve been neglected by the world tours?
It’s easy to say yes but you also have to understand, Australia isn’t the easiest country to get to. But I think there could have been a bigger effort made (by the tours). I do remember growing up watching the Australian Open, Australian Masters and Australian PGA and those three events being big events that attracted the best players. When I turned pro, it just wasn’t part of what players did. I’m fully aware Jack Nicklaus has won six Australian Opens and Gary Player has won seven. It’s something that’s engraved in history and I’m glad I’m now going to be part of playing golf in Australia.
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Describe your dealings with Greg Norman, both the person and the commissioner.
I actually met Greg at Mayakoba in 2014, I believe. We hit it off well and he’s always been extremely nice to me, even in the early stages of LIV Golf but more recently during my transition to the league. It’s always very refreshing to have somebody who was such a great player themselves – an active golfer – be a part of the league and be its commissioner because he’s always going to understand the players’ side.
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Anything on your to-do list while you’re here?
Right now, we’re still trying to figure out if the family is going to come. If my little guys come, they will be a priority but if they don’t come, I’m going to have to talk to the locals to learn what I should do. My swing coach [Dave Phillips] lived in Australia for a little while so he can guide me a bit on that, but I don’t know much about Adelaide so I’m looking forward to changing that.
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Got a message for Aussie golf fans heading to Adelaide in April?
I hope they’re as excited as I am because I’ve heard nothing but great things about that week and it’s shaping up to be even better this year.
