Jon Rahm ditches Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s golf event as statement released

Rory McIlory and Tiger Woods’ new Team Golf League has been forced to endure an early bump in the road after it was confirmed that reigning Masters champions Jon Rahm is withdrawing from the competition before a ball has been hit.

The inaugural TGL tournament is set to get underway in January 2024 with a host of the PGA’s biggest names all signing up for the technology-led midweek competition.

But world No. 3 Rahm will not be one of them after his name was quietly removed from the organiser’s website on Wednesday.

And according to a statement obtained by The Mirror, TGL has now confirmed the Spaniard’s departure from the tournament roster. The statement read: “Jon is one of the most talented players in the game and we will miss him during the inaugural TGL season.

“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. TGL will name a new player to fill the 24-player roster soon.”

The withdrawal of Rahm is an early blow for the TGL who have been committed to signing up as many high-profile players as possible. Woods and McIlroy will be joined by household names from both sides of the pond, such as US Ryder Cup stars, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantley and Xander Shauffele as well as victorious Europeans Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick and Shane Lowry.

But aside from McIlory himself, Rahm – who won his second major at Augusta National in April – was the highest-ranked player in the field and his absence, along with that world No. 1 Scottie Sheffler, could be seen to be devaluing the field.

The competition will be staged in a purpose-built 2,000-capacity indoor venue in Florida, with the action taking place on a huge state-of-the-art golfing simulator and specially designed chipping area.

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The TGL is believed to be the PGA Tour’s answer to the team-format golf played on the breakaway Saudi-funded LIV Golf League that successfully lured a host of big-name golfers away from the PGA tour with the promise of hugely lucrative events with no cuts.

Establish American players like Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeu all made the switch alongside big European names like Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia.

The PGA Tour has agreed to a ‘framework agreement’ that will see it work alongside LIV Golf and the DP World Tour, but with little additional detail yet to emerge, it will be hoping that it’s new TGL will make a sufficient impact when it launches even without Rahm in the line-up.

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