LIV Golf’s search for a new financial backer has created a fresh condition for the league’s survival. Financial Times and a few other outlets reported that the mystery investor sought assurance that the star players would continue to stick with the rebel league. But then came the news that Jon Rahm would leave LIV Golf and return to the PGA Tour. Speaking with Garrett Johnson of NUCLR GOLF, Thomas Pieters denied the news and called it a baseless rumor.

“You swipe up and you close the app. That’s the right attitude. It’s proven to be wrong a lot of the times,” Thomas Pieters said when asked about the right approach or attitude towards news like Jon Rahm leaving the league.

“Yeah, with any news, basically. So, I mean, people can tweet whatever they want at this point. Yeah, we’ll see after the season. I don’t know,” he continued when asked if it is only with LIV-related news or any news in general.

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James Corrigan of The Telegraph reported on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, that sources close to LIV Golf have confirmed that the league is “almost resigned” to Rahm leaving LIV in 2027. He said that LIV Golf Indianapolis could be the Spaniard’s last event with the breakaway league. According to the sources, the DP World Tour had already been notified of Jon Rahm’s intentions.

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A week later, Tee Times reported that Jon Rahm is working on a path back to the PGA Tour instead. The social media handle claimed that the 31-year-old is willing to pay $25 million for the reinstatement. That would be a whopping five times more than what Brooks Koepka paid when he returned to the PGA Tour earlier this year. All this news comes amid the league still owing Rahm a nine-figure amount.

The opposite directions of the two pieces of news could make it sound like rumors. But while Thomas Pieters dismissed the speculation, nothing can be said for sure until Jon Rahm confirms it himself.

The reason is simple. A lot of news that LIV Golf or its players disregarded as rumors has turned out to be true in the past. This includes everything from PIF calling off the funding to the cancellation of LIV Golf Michigan. The league also denied rumors of unpaid bills until vendors filed lawsuits.

Thomas Pieters also spoke about the meeting with the lead investor.

“Just to get to know him. Seems like a really nice and hard businessman, which I think is what we need. And he’s pretty excited about the future and about LIV 2.0,” he added.

Every LIV Golf member met with the investor at the Chatham Hills clubhouse on Tuesday. While the golfers now know who the investor is, the league has still kept it a mystery for the media and fans.

For now, Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf future remains uncertain. Thomas Pieters has dismissed the reports, but only the Spaniard himself can put the speculation to rest.