Phil Mickelson has reportedly been confirming that Jon Rahm is set to join the LIV Golf setup, after it was claimed the Masters champion had entered negotiations to join the breakaway circuit.
On Wednesday, Bunkered reported that Rahm was in talks to potentially make the Saudi switch, with a source claiming that whilst an imminent move was 'way off the mark', the Spaniard is said to be 'closer to joining than he has been before'.
Following its formation last June, LIV has been able to lure in a whole host of the PGA Tour's biggest names, including Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson, and it appears current Masters champion Rahm is next on their list.
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In the aftermath of Rahm's latest LIV links, Fire Pit Collective's Alan Shipnuck provided an update, claiming Mickelson - the man he wrote a biography on - has been brazenly informing those close to him that Rahm's potential move to the Saudi-funded series is a 'done deal'.
Whilst Rahm has remained relatively neutral in the ugly dispute between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a move to the breakaway league would be a shock to many following his past comments. In August the Spaniard admitted he 'laughed' whenever being linked with a signing on the dotted line with Greg Norman and co.
He told the Golf Sin Etiquetas podcast in August: "I laugh when people rumor me with LIV Golf. I never liked the format." Despite their difference in tours, Rahm and Mickelson are said to share a strong relationship, reuniting at this year's Masters for a practice round, days before the Spaniard won his first green jacket.
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Further playing down any chance of joining LIV last summer, Rahm admitted that Mickelson himself had told him a switch to the breakaway circuit was not in his best interests. "I always have a good time with Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia in the practice rounds of majors," he added.
"Phil [Mickelson] respects my decision, and I respect his [choice]. Mickelson has told me that I have no reason to go play for LIV, and he has told me that multiple times.” LIV Golf is currently going through its first-ever offseason transfer window, with nine players still left to fill on their 48-man roster.
One of those will be taken by the returning Andy Ogletree, who regained his LIV place after winning the International Series Order of Merit on the Asian Tour. A further three spots will be filled in Abu Dhabi next month, with Saudi-backed league hosting its first-ever qualifying school event, labelled LIV Golf Promotions.
It remains to be seen whether one of the five remaining places is filled by LIV's 2023 players who have since entered free agency, or players from elsewhere. Mickelson himself revealed last month that there is interest from players from rival tours wanting joining the rebel league for 2024.
"When players look at LIV, they are wanting to be a part of it," he said in Miami last month. "Everybody here is happy and enjoying what we are doing and enjoying the team aspect of it and enjoying each other and the camaraderie and enjoying playing golf globally and all the benefits that come with playing this tour.
"There's a lot of players that see that and want to be a part of it. The question is how many spots are available? There's a lot more players that want to come than there are spots."
