Jon Rahm Says He'd Accept Penalties to Return to PGA Tour, 'Don't Know What is In Store'

After leaving the LIV Golf League and declining to participate in LIV Golf 2.0, Jon Rahm is willing to accept any necessary penalties to return to the PGA Tour, but he isn't sure if he'll get the chance.

The two-time major champion told reporters Tuesday at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship that he'd be open to accepting the same penalties that Brooks Koepka had to return to the PGA Tour, but there haven't yet been any discussions about his potential comeback because of the recent birth of his fourth child. If he isn't given the opportunity, he would settle for competing on the DP World Tour in 2027.

"With the PGA Tour, things are a little bit different," Rahm said, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach. "I haven't been able to speak to them yet. Until things are finalized, which should be hopefully soon, and then we'll see.

"I don't know what is in store for us," he continued. "We know what they did with Brooks. This is different circumstances. I don't know what things are going to look like. But it's a pretty good safety net to have that I can play the DP World Tour next year, and if it comes to that, I'm really excited to play for a full year."

Koepka was permitted to return to the PGA Tour in January under a new Returning Member Program, which Schlabach said "allowed LIV golfers who have been away from the tour for at least two years -- and who won the Players Championship or one of the four majors (the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship) since 2022 -- to return under certain conditions and with severe financial penalties." Rahm made it clear that he wouldn't have a problem meeting those conditions.

"Most likely, yeah," Rahm said. "Why not? Yeah, but it's a big if. I seriously doubt I get offered the same deal that Brooks did. But yeah, if I got offered exactly the same penalties as him, I probably would do it, yes."

Schlabach pointed out that PGA Tour commissioner Brian Rolapp said there are no plans to bring back the Returning Member Program, calling it a "one-time, defined window" and "not a precedent for future situations."

Rahm, who won the 2021 U.S. Open and the 2023 Masters Tournament, is one of three LIV players eligible to return under those conditions, along with 2024 U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau and 2022 Players Championship and Open Championship winner Cameron Smith. However, DeChambeau and Smith have opted to remain with LIV. Rahm was still owed over $100 million when he decided to leave the league.

"I would say I can only reflect on those three years as a positive," Rahm said. "It was a wonderful experience. Played a lot of good golf. Obviously, individually and as a team, we did great. As much as I liked the project and the idea on, let's say, LIV 1.0, I wasn't thrilled with the changes they were doing to 2.0, and I just wasn't willing to follow that path. It wasn't anything special, anything that stood out. I just didn't like what they were going with 2.0."