WASHINGTON – Reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm says he is happy with his jump to Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf, but noted on Tuesday that it is difficult to miss so many PGA Tour events he has enjoyed.
Preparing to start the Masters at Augusta National on April 11, the 29-year-old Spaniard talked about the consequences of his decision to leave the PGA Tour last December and watched on television as others won the titles he won in 2023.
“For anyone who said it was going to be easy, some things were, but not being able to defend some titles that mean a lot to me, no,” Rahm said.
Rahm won last year’s PGA Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, won the American Express in Palm Springs and the Genesis Invitational at Riviera before earning his green jacket.
But he is barred from PGA Tour events after joining LIV, where he is second on the season points list after top-eight finishes in his first four tournaments.
“I love Palm Springs. I’ve been able to win there twice. Riviera is about as charismatic a golf course as we are. Not being there was tough,” Rahm said.
“I still watch golf because I love it. But it’s hard. It was hard not being at the Phoenix Open at the end of February and it was hard not being in Hawaii.”
Rahm is looking forward to his return to Augusta National, where he will face a field of the world’s best players from both competitive tours.
“It’s been great so far. I’ve been playing good golf,” Rahm said. “But I’m definitely looking forward to joining the rest of the best golfers in the world and playing with them at the Masters.”
Rahm’s only repeat crown came at the 2019 Spanish Open.
“It could be my second title defense. That would be pretty incredible,” he said.
Even though Rahm missed his chances earlier this season, he said he will let those memories fade.
“I don’t know if I should and will think about the tournaments I didn’t defend.
“It’s done. It’s in the past. It’s a decision I made and I’m happy with it. But I hope I can come back and I hope I can defend it. That would be a dream come true.”
Only Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo have won back-to-back Masters titles.
