Jon Rahm, “LIV 1.0” and the unanswered question at the 2026 Amgen Irish Open

Jon Rahm is in Ireland for the 2026 Amgen Irish Open. Rory McIlroy is also in the field. But the most anticipated story this week is not contained in 72 holes; it is about the future of Rahm and the future of LIV Golf itself.

The Amgen Irish Open is a DP World Tour event with deep history in Europe. Rahm and McIlroy teeing up together makes this year a rare occasion when two top players from different sides of the golf divide compete at the same event. Rahm belongs to LIV Golf, while McIlroy remains tied to the PGA Tour. Their presence on the same course reflects how quickly the global game is changing.

Behind that scene is a financial shock. The 2026 LIV Golf season ended early at LIV Indianapolis last month. After that, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) decided to withdraw funding, leaving the league’s future uncertain. LIV Golf still wants to survive and is moving toward a new model called LIV 2.0, but the road ahead is not smooth.

For LIV 2.0 to become reality, league leaders must solve two major problems at the same time. They need an investor strong enough to commit money for 2027 and beyond. The remaining problem is keeping the biggest stars, especially Jon Rahm. These two problems cannot be separated. Investors will be reluctant to spend millions unless they are sure Rahm will stay with the league. In turn, Rahm can hardly make a commitment when he has not seen a clear financial plan from LIV 2.0.

Rahm’s current contract with LIV Golf still runs for years. He signed with LIV in 2026, when the league was still operating under the old model with PIF funding. The deal was reported to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. For LIV Golf, Rahm’s value goes beyond the rounds he plays. He is the biggest asset the league uses to convince investors. For Rahm, this contract is the legal basis for protecting his interests while the league’s future is in question.

In an interview with BBC Sport in Ireland, Rahm gave his first comments after the LIV season ended. Asked whether he belongs to LIV’s future or is aiming for a return to the PGA Tour, Rahm did not give a clear answer. He said: “There are just a lot of things in place, right? There are a lot of things that could happen, and it’s one of those things where time’s gonna tell.”

The BBC reporter then asked whether Rahm would like a pathway back to the PGA Tour. Rahm again avoided a direct answer. He said: “Well, you know, I still have a contract with LIV 1.0 that I’m more than willing to fulfill. So, like I said, time will tell.”

The answer sounds simple, but the way Rahm used the phrase “LIV 1.0” caught attention. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has described the league’s future plan as LIV 2.0. Rahm did not simply call the current circuit LIV Golf; he deliberately said LIV 1.0. That phrasing may be a subtle reminder: his contract was signed with LIV 1.0, not with a LIV 2.0 that has never been clearly defined.

If LIV 2.0 becomes a new legal entity, or if the new financial structure cannot guarantee the payment terms in the old contract, Rahm’s statement about being willing to fulfill his contract suddenly sounds conditional. He still wants to play golf and still wants to honor the contract, but that only matters if LIV also honors its obligations. If LIV 2.0 cannot pay, Rahm has every right to ask what his old contract is really worth.

On the sporting side, the 2026 Amgen Irish Open is a chance for Rahm to test his game after an unexpected break. Rahm won the U.S. Open in 2026 and the Masters in 2026, so his ambitions have never been limited to LIV events. He still wants to compete in majors and against the best golfers in the world. This week’s event in Ireland includes Rory McIlroy, and that is exactly the kind of challenge Rahm needs for the rest of the season.

But from a market and player-rights perspective, the 72-hole result in Ireland may not be the most important message Rahm sends this week. The more important message is in his interview answer: Rahm has not confirmed he will leave LIV, has not confirmed he will find a way back to the PGA Tour, and has not confirmed he will stay with LIV 2.0 if the terms of his contract change.

LIV Golf needs time to find investors. Rahm also needs time to learn whether LIV 2.0 will actually happen. Until both sides have enough information, the only answer Rahm gives remains the familiar line from his BBC Sport interview: time will tell.