'Emotional' missing events, but LIV debut entertaining - Rahm

As he readies for his second LIV Golf event and his first on US soil, Jon Rahm lamented missing out on recent PGA Tour events but doesn't regret his decision to switch circuits.

"It was a lot harder to be at home not competing and know that those events were going on," Rahm told reporters Tuesday at Las Vegas Country Club. "Palm Springs and Torrey, those weeks were hard. I've explained so many times how important Torrey is for me."

Rahm's first PGA Tour win in 2017 was at Torrey Pines, which is also where he won his first major, the US Open, in 2021.

As the No 3 player in the world and the top box-office draw for LIV Golf, Rahm reportedly received more than $300 million to join the circuit. This week, however, he is missing the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, just a few miles from his home.

"And driving by Phoenix as often as I had to and knowing that I wasn't going to play there, it's definitely emotional," he said. "That's one of the things that I'm going to miss."

Memories aside, Rahm is preparing for this week's event and is focused on LIV Golf.

"I'm not typically a person that's going to regret any decisions," Rahm said. "I made as educated a decision as I could with the full support of the people around me and (I'm) confident that it was the right thing for me, so I'm not going to regret it."

Though he was banned from competing in those PGA events once he jumped ship, Rahm is hopeful he can compete in those events down the road. Especially if the PGA merges with LIV Golf, which has been rumored to be in the works as negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund continue.

"I'm hoping that in the near future I can be back playing some of those events," Rahm said. "I would certainly love to go back and play some of them.

"If there's ever a way back and a way where we can play, even if it's as an invite, I will take it. There's certain events that are special to me that I would still love to support."

As for his first LIV Golf event last week at Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Rahm thoroughly enjoyed the experience. His team, Legion XIII, picked up the team victory while individually he finished in a tie for third.

"It's definitely different," he said. "For people watching, the atmosphere, the music, it's different, but I think it's very entertaining. It gives the crowd a level of engagement that I wasn't expecting. Everybody seemed really into the music and into the golf, and it was really fun to play before a crowd that was enjoying it so much."