Jon Rahm withdraws from TGL’s inaugural season

Jon Rahm will not compete in the inaugural season of TGL presented by SoFi, the world No. 3 announced Thursday.

Rahm had originally committed to the tech-infused golf league last fall, noting TGL’s potential in reaching new audiences and its innovative format. But the Arizona resident ultimately opted against competing in the league’s first season, set to begin in January, noting the level of commitment required to travel to south Florida for up to seven weeknight matches.

“I am sad to confirm that I will not be participating in the first TGL season,” Rahm said Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter. “While I still think it’s a great opportunity, right now it would require a level of commitment that I can’t offer. Best of luck to everyone (involved) and may the best team win!”

TGL will feature six four-player teams, with all matches contested at SoFi Center, a custom-built venue in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, that will combine a data-rich virtual course with a state-of-the-art short game complex.

Click here for more on TGL and its newly announced competitive format. Each team will compete in five regular season matches; there will then be semifinals and a championship series.

Rory McIlroy was announced Thursday as a member of TGL franchise Boston Common Golf, along with Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott and Tyrrell Hatton. Earlier this week, Justin Thomas (Atlanta Drive GC) and Collin Morikawa (Los Angeles Golf Club) were also matched with their TGL teams.

New York and San Francisco will also have TGL franchises, with a sixth team yet to be announced. Rahm’s replacement on the TGL roster has yet to be announced, as well.

“Jon is one of the most talented players in the game and we will miss him during the inaugural TGL season,” TGL said in a statement. “We understand that players have to balance a lot of different facets of their professional and personal lives and respect Jon’s choice and wish him well.”

Rahm is an 11-time PGA TOUR winner, including major titles at the 2021 U.S. Open and this year’s Masters. The Spaniard holds 10 DP World Tour titles and has spent 52 weeks at world No. 1. He was also part of the European Team’s decisive victory at this year’s Ryder Cup in Italy, compiling a 2-0-2 record.