Jon Rahm exits LIV Golf: Two-time major champion gives up claim for remainder of nine-figure contract

Rahm's partnership with LIV Golf has been a roller coaster from the start; his separation agreement comes as the league is seeking to reinvent itself Oct 15, 2026 at 11:23 am ET • 2 min read Jon Rahm and LIV Golf reached a separation agreement in court on Wednesday with the two-time major champion agreeing to forfeit all monetary claims -- fees, bonuses, prize money, annual payments, etc. -- against the league he called home for the last three years. In exchange, Rahm will receive his name, image and likeness rights once again and be free to sign with another circuit.The agreement is "intended as a complete economic walk-away," per court documents. Judge Michael B. Kaplan of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey still has to approve the agreement on Nov. 5.In addition to his personal rights, Rahm will also retain the rights to "Rahmbo" and "Legion XIII," the latter of which was the name of his team on LIV Golf. However, if Rahm does return to the PGA Tour and participate in TGL, he would not be permitted to use Legion XIII as a team name.The PGA Tour has been unwilling to enter into any negotiations with ex-LIV Golf players until there is clarity on their contractual situation. Rahm has maintained status on the DP World Tour, where he will make his next competitive appearance during the league's postseason to wrap up the 2026 campaign. Rahm was listed as LIV Golf's largest unsecured creditor in the league's initial bankruptcy documents, as he was owed $7.5 million when LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 in early September.The former world No. 1 sent shockwaves through the golf world when he signed with the league in late 2023 for what was reported to be $300 million, although how much he ultimately collected is still unknown.Rahm racked up north of $100 million in on-course earnings during his time with LIV Golf. Across three seasons, the 31-year-old entered the winner's circle four times as an individual and won all three individual season-long races. He started his tenure with LIV Golf finishing inside the top 10 in the first 17 tournaments that he completed, and his team also picked up various accolades over the years. Although he played well on the LIV Golf circuit, Rahm's form in major championships declined during that same period. After winning two majors the prior three years (2021 U.S. Open, 2023 Masters), Rahm managed to contend only a couple of times across the four biggest championships from 2024-26.It was in 2026 that Rahm had his best crack at another major as he finished runner-up to Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship. Across the 11 majors in which he participated as a member of LIV Golf, Rahm finished inside the top 10 four times and outside the top 30 six times, including a pair of missed cuts.During LIV Golf's bankruptcy hearing last week, Rahm's lawyer announced that his client had "independently reviewed the proposed terms of LIV 2.0 ... and has determined that those terms are unacceptable to him, and he will not be participating going forward," according to Front Office Sports.