Jon Rahm Embraces Abu Dhabi Return, Opens Mind to New Challenges After LIV Golf Stint

It is somewhat surprising, given his considerable achievements in golf, that Jon Rahm, a celebrated European Ryder Cup figure, is making his debut appearance in Abu Dhabi this week. Furthermore, considering his recent association with the LIV Tour, his participation at Yas Links is noteworthy. The 31-year-old Spaniard, who was a long-time teammate of Tyrrell Hatton on the breakaway tour before both departed, is experiencing Abu Dhabi for the first time.

Tyrrell Hatton, known for his passionate on-course demeanor, has previously offered candid assessments of the course situated on the Arabian Gulf. He once expressed such frustration with the par-5 18th hole that he suggested it should be demolished. This sentiment is new to Rahm, though he acknowledges it sounds familiar. "I spend a great amount of time with Tyrrell now, and I don't know how often he's given positive feedback on a golf course," Rahm commented two days before his inaugural round at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship. Hatton secured victory in the tournament the last time it was held at the National Course, prior to its relocation to Yas. Despite his initial reservations, he has shown a degree of fondness for the new venue, having finished as runner-up two years ago. Rahm, for his part, is impressed by his initial impressions.

"You can't get too caught up on what [Hatton] may say at first because I think it's strictly dependent also on how he hits it that day," Rahm stated. "But the one thing everybody has told me coming to this golf course is that it's always in great shape and there's a lot of movement to the greens. Overall, it's very positive, and Tyrrell was the same. He said it's in perfect shape. It's a good golf course, and there's going to be some unusual visuals in the greens and shots just because of how much undulation there is but overall it's good. He was very positive."

This week marks Rahm's first return to the UAE since announcing his decision to leave LIV and rejoin golf's established tours. He remains uncertain about the timeline for a consistent return to PGA Tour events in the US. A mandatory one-year ban from regular season PGA Tour events for LIV players means Rahm would be ineligible until the end of August 2027. Consequently, his immediate focus is on the DP World Tour, which he views as a positive outcome in a "worst-case scenario," stating, "I get to play on a wonderful tour for a whole year."

"As of right now, I really don't know what 2027 is going to look like for me," Rahm admitted. "I have yet to have a discussion with the PGA Tour to see if there's any path back for next year. Until I get clarity on that, my plan would be to spend the year on the DP World Tour, and I'm looking forward to it. I will be supporting the tour, for sure, and even if I get to go and play PGA Tour events, I'll still play European Tour events, as well."

Rahm is scheduled to commence his play at 9:01 am on Thursday, grouped with Matt Wallace and Ewen Ferguson. Currently positioned 51st in the Race to Dubai standings, he will need to improve his standing to qualify for the season finale in Dubai next week.