Harrington fears Rahm mega-deal sets bar too high
Pádraig Harrington fears Jon Rahm's $560 million mega-move to LIV Golf sets a dangerous precedent that could see a host of tour stars over-estimate their value to sponsors.
While details of the Spaniard's purported three-year deal were not revealed, Harrington sees trouble ahead.
"Interesting consequence of the LIV/Rahm $560m deal," Harrington said on X. "It sets a very high anchor price for future signings as well as renegotiations for current players.
"Most players will up their expectations of what they are worth, but as we've seen with other big sponsors in the golf game, those sponsors know that they really only want to pay the top players (maybe 5 in any market) who move the needle and no one else really matters.
"Harsh, I know, but it's how it is. Remember, sponsors have to pay advertising $ to promote who they sponsor, and those advertising $ cost the same to run for a top player as a lower ranked player."
Harrington added that "sponsors only want to pay big to those they're going to use in advertising."
There are three berths on LIV Golf League teams up for grabs at the LIV Promotions Event in Abu Dhabi, and Royal Dublin amateur Max Kennedy kept his hopes alive by firing a bogey-free, five-under 67 to cruise into round two.
The University of Louisville star (21) finished in a seven-way tie for third to make the top 20 and ties who join 13 exempt players in today's second round at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
The scores are reset with only the top 20 after tiebreakers making tomorrow's 36-hole shootout for three spots.
Maynooth University's Ryan Griffin (23) shot a five-over 77 to miss the two-under qualifying mark by seven strokes as New Zealand's Kerry Mountcastle shot 64 to top the standings by two shots from American Seungsu Han.
While Kennedy was thrilled to perform so well in just his second start in a professional event, he knows he must continue making birdies.
"Just make birdies," he said. "That's all it takes."
Birdies and eagles were the order of the day for Leona Maguire and Lucas Glover as they opened with a scintillating 15-under 57 in the scramble format at the Grant Thornton Invitational in Florida.
They’re tied second with Denny McCarthy and Megan Khang, one behind Nelly Korda and Finau, who shot 56 in the battle for the $1 million team prize.
With the Co Cavan star doing most of the damage on the greens, they birdied their first nine holes at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples to turn in 27, then birdied the 10th, eagled the par-four 13th and birdied the 14th, 15th and 16th in the first mixed-team co-sanctioned event between the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour since 1999.
"I got told earlier in the week just let her putt first, stay out of her way, and I probably won't have to put much. So I listened to some sage advice, and they were right," Glover said.
Maguire added: "He hit some really nice approach shots today and then I tried to take a little bit of pressure off him with the putter."
In the Alfred Dunhill Championship, South Africa's Casey Jarvis shot a five-under 67 to lead England's Marco Penge by a shot on 10-under at Leopard Creek.
In the inaugural World Champions Cup for seniors at The Concession, Darren Clarke’s European team (101.5 pts) lies third behind the Internationals (111.5) and the USA (111) with tomorrow’s closing singles to follow a pro-am today.
