Rahm’s Exit Opens Door for Lower-Ranked  PGA Tour Players to Cash In

Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf, believed to be worth more than $500 million, is certainly lucrative for the two-time major champion from Spain. But it’s also turning out to be a meaningful financial opportunity for several lower-ranked PGA Tour players, potentially worth tens of millions of dollars.

With Rahm, the No. 3-ranked golfer in the world, no longer eligible for PGA Tour events in 2024, several players are receiving newfound eligibility for tournaments throughout the season — none more profitable than the eight signature events that will pay out $160 million next year.

Mackenzie Hughes, whose career earnings total $14.4 million on the PGA Tour since 2017, finished last season at No. 51 in the Fedex Cup Standings. But with Rahm’s exit, Hughes moved to 50th, putting him in the field for all eight signature events. (He was previously eligible for just two.) Winners’ checks at those events range from $3.6 million to $4 million, and five offer guaranteed money because there’s no cut.

Rahm’s defection also put Alex Smalley into the field at the Genesis Invitational and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, giving him a chance to cash in at those signature events. It also gave Carl Yuan, who was 126th in the FedExCup Standings, full-year status on the PGA Tour.