Sergio Garcia let out of LIV Golf contract, but Jon Rahm's deal remains in limbo

Sergio Garcia has been granted a release from his LIV Golf contract by New Jersey’s bankruptcy court, but Jon Rahm’s deal remains stuck in limbo.

LIV Golf’s bankruptcy plea last month included a restructuring plan that would likely release LIV players from their existing contracts, allowing them to pursue opportunities elsewhere. However, last week Garcia’s lawyers and his LLC (Even Par) asserted they do not oppose this motion but do want clarification, as Garcia’s representation requested the court honor the request to end the agreement or allow Garcia to end it.

This week the court ruled that the automatic stay on the contract has been lifted, allowing Garcia to begin weighing his options where he will play his 2027 season. Garcia still has DP World Tour membership, and LIV players have been able to play on the European circuit throughout professional golf’s schism, although that could change for next year. As for the PGA Tour, aside from a one-time window given to Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cam Smith, the tour has not allowed LIV players back without serving a year-long suspension.

Only Koepka took the offer, and PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has repeatedly said the tour has no intention on reviving the program for those looking to jump ship now that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has pulled its funding from LIV. Moreover, Garcia returning to the tour would be an incredible turnaround from how he left, as he was caught on camera stating “I can't wait to leave this tour' following rules dispute at the 2022 Wells Fargo Championship. Three weeks later, Garcia was announced as part of LIV’s first wave of signees.

Of greater note is Rahm’s agreement, which will now not be heard until Nov. 5. The date is noteworthy in that, on Monday, LIV’s new investor BC Partners moved its player deadline commitment by two weeks to Oct. 25. According to court documents, Rahm is the only player whose contract is being adjourned to a later date.

Since August, there has been speculation among LIV staff (prior to most of the company being laid off) that Rahm wanted out. However, he has been noncommittal with his public remarks on the situation. On Tuesday Rahm announced he was dropping out of the Spanish Open due to his wife expected to give birth shortly to the couple’s fourth child.

BC Partners announced it has made an initial $4 million investment of a possible $300 million funding in LIV Golf, a move that BC leader Ted Goldthorpe hailed as the first step in relaunching for the former Saudi-backed league. “We’re all systems go,” Goldthorpe said in a London conference Tuesday. “The next 22 days is going to be about signing up the players, but again, I feel very, very good about that.” Despite Goldthorpe’s remarks, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had raised flags since LIV's initial bankruptcy filing that BC just wants LIV for tax write-off purposes and is not interested in running a golf league.