Shane Lowry: LIV Golf 'own' Jon Rahm now

Shane Lowry was under no illusion when listening to Jon Rahm explain his shock move to LIV Golf.

The Irishman believes the Spaniard was told to use the commonly-heard “growing the game” claim when speaking after his reported $450 million deal.

Lowry felt club golfers who pay “hard-earned money” would find it tough to hear Rahm also attributing his move as “a duty to his family.”

“I think what Jon said about growing the game and stuff that’s obviously what they have to say,” Lowry said, as per the Irish Independent.

“They’ve signed on the dotted line. They’ve been told by the communications team that this is what you say when you’re asked this and you have no other choice really because they own you now.

“I don’t know if it’s been damaging (to golf) but people who have spent their hard-earned money going out to join a golf club and buy golf clubs and play golf for the weekend.

“It’s tough for them to listen to the guy who’s already worth whatever say he has to do this to put food on the table for his wife and kids.”

The Masters champion conducted a television interview with Fox News in his new LIV clothing just months after winning the Ryder Cup with Europe alongside Lowry.

Both players contributed points to the home side’s win at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, bringing bundles of passion and noise to Luke Donald’s team room.

Rahm is still a DP World Tour member, a status that would make him eligible for the 2025 Ryder Cup despite moving to the Saudi-funded league.

“The reason they (Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood) couldn’t play Ryder Cup this year was because they resigned their membership,” Lowry added.

“There were certain players that would have been able to make the team if they played good enough, but they just didn’t.

“I am sure Rahmbo can play well enough to make the team, so if he doesn’t resign his membership, he can still make the team.”

Shane Lowry: PGA Tour leadership hasn’t been amazing, but I won’t criticise…

Lowry’s enjoyed many magic moments in his career but arguably none more so than winning The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019.

He won for the first time on the PGA Tour in 2015 at the Bridgestone Invitational, the season of his special temporary membership.

From winning the Irish Open as a 22-year-old amateur, the now 36-year-old is a common contender on a circuit on the brink of striking a deal with the Public Investment Fund.

Some players felt betrayed by the PGA Tour’s actions which were largely negotiated behind closed doors, but Lowry wanted to avoid giving out criticism.

“I make a great living doing what we do, playing the game I love for a living and I’m not going to sit here and criticise the guys in charge of the game because I’m very fortunate to have the life I have.

“Do I think they’ve been amazing? No, probably not. But I’m not going to criticise them because I think they couldn’t foresee this coming. It was something that just happened. I don’t really know.

“A lot of players have a lot of opinions on the leadership of the tour. But I don’t consider myself clever enough to be able to comment on running a billion-dollar organisation.

“So, like I said earlier, I just worry about my own game, try and win the best tournaments I can and compete in the best ones I can, and that’s really it.”

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Matt Chivers

Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.

Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.

Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.

Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.

Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.

What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.