Former world No. 1 golfer Rahm reaches separation agreement with LIV Golf

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  Mark SchlabachOct 15, 2026, 08:42 AM ET

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  • Senior college football writer
  • Author of seven books on college football
  • Graduate of the University of Georgia

Former world No. 1 golfer Jon Rahm and LIV Golf reached a separation agreement on Wednesday, in which Rahm agreed to release all of his monetary and economic claims against the embattled circuit in exchange for the return of his exclusive name, image and likeness rights and other related marks, according to court records.

The agreement must be approved by U.S. Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey Judge Michael B. Kaplan on Nov. 5.

Rahm, 31, is LIV Golf's largest unsecured creditor, per court records. He was owed $7.5 million when the league voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 8.

However, it is believed that Rahm was owed more than $100 million over the remainder of his contract. The Spanish golfer reportedly received a multiyear deal worth more than $300 million when he left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in December 2023.

Rahm was LIV Golf's season-long individual champion in each of the three years he played in the league from 2024-26. He earned nearly $107 million in on-course earnings during his LIV Golf career.

Rahm's attorney, John Beck, informed Kaplan on Oct. 7 that the two-time major champion would not be a part of LIV 2.0.

"Mr. Rahm has 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 in LIV 2.0," Beck said at the time.

Under the terms of the separation agreement, Rahm agreed to release all claims against the debtors and their affiliates, and each of his contracts with LIV Golf will be terminated, releasing the golfer from any further services or performance obligations.

The separation agreement says that Rahm forfeited all equity or membership interests in his LIV Golf team.

In exchange, all rights in Rahm's name, image and likeness will revert exclusively to him. He will also retain the "Rahmbo" and "Legion XII" marks, which LIV Golf agreed to transfer to him. He isn't allowed to use the Legion XIII name in another league like TGL. The league will retain ownership of any historical content in which Rahm appeared while playing in the league.

Rahm is scheduled to play in the Abu Dhabi Championship on Nov. 5-8, the next-to-last event of the DP Tour World season. He skipped last week's Spanish Open because of the pending birth of his fourth child.

It is unclear how quickly Rahm will be allowed to return to the PGA Tour if that's what he desires. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has indicated that his tour will not bring back the Returning Member Program, which allowed former LIV Golf captain Brooks Koepka to come back in February.

Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith were eligible to return to the PGA Tour under the same program, but each opted to remain with LIV Golf.

During a hearing on Wednesday, LIV Golf attorney Robert Kennedy told Kaplan that the tour should know by the end of the month whether it will be ceasing operations or moving forward with LIV 2.0.

Golfers have until Oct. 25 to decide whether they will participate in LIV 2.0. The league has said that BC Partners, its new investor, can alter that deadline.