Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy feature in Alan Shipnuck’s “5 best players in golf” presently

With Jon Rahm heading to LIV Golf, their player roster is getting quite good. They've slowly siphoned some of the top talent away from other leagues, and it's happening with such regularity now that golf journalist Alan Shipnuck believes they cannot be ignored any longer.

Shipnuck stated that Rahm's move gives LIV some of the best golfers in the world. The Spaniard is one of the best, but he's not the only top golfer on LIV.

The journalist said on X, formerly known as Twitter:

"I know many of you have a reflexive disdain for LIV—that's fine, I'm not for or against it. But LIV is getting harder to ignore. The 5 best players in golf are, in no particular order, Rahm, Brooks, Rory, Scottie and Cam. If Rahm jumps, LIV will have 3 of them."

The best five players in the world according to Shipnuck? Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, and Scottie Scheffler. If the reports hold true that LIV will officially announce Rahm this week, then three of Shipnuck's top five golfers will be off the PGA Tour.

Scheffler and McIlroy would be the only remaining holdouts. Scheffler doesn't speak on LIV often, but it's a safe bet that McIlroy, with his public disdain for LIV, will never defect.

LIV has slowly built quite the roster. Over the last few years, they've landed top players like Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Rahm (pending), Koepka, and more. Even Phil Mickelson is an iconic name in LIV.

The expected merger between LIV and the PGA Tour does change how this matters. It's expected that the merger between the PIF and PGA Tour will give pathways back to the Tour if LIV players want them, even though that's unlikely.

What the framework merger agreement does do is cement the fact that moving to LIV isn't the death sentence it once was. Rebel golfers were punished heavily for defecting, getting suspensions and fines and losing memberships. Now, with everything coming together and more golfers leaving the PGA Tour, that's not the case.

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Jon Rahm is officially headed to LIV Golf

After weeks of rumors with no clear answer, an answer has been given. Jon Rahm, winner of The Masters in 2023, is officially headed to LIV Golf. Reports confirmed this morning that he is going to move, but an official announcement is still pending.

Jon Rahm is going to LIV Golf

Rahm has been critical of LIV's model in the past. However, much like several others who reversed course, Rahm found the money on offer to be incredible. Reports suggest that the Spaniard will get $550 million to play on LIV.

Rahm will still be able to play in the major tournaments and pursue a Career Grand Slam, but his OWGR rank will likely not go up. OWGR doesn't award points to LIV events, and Rahm will likely slide down before the Majors.

Rahm broke through to the top spot in OWGR in 2023 but slipped to third, which is where he is presently ranked before his reported exit to LIV.