Mackenzie Hughes – Biggest Beneficiary of Jon Rahm Joining LIV – Laments the State of Golf

Jon Rahm’s switch to LIV Golf will likely not have a bigger impact on a PGA Tour golfer than Mackenzie Hughes.

Rahm’s move led to the PGA Tour suspending him. His spot in the top 50 of the 2022-23 FedEx Cup standings went to Hughes, which means the Canadian is now eligible for all of the tour’s Signature Events in 2024. That starts with The Sentry this week, which is exclusive to last year’s winners and anyone else in the top 50 who didn’t reach the winner’s circle.

Even though he stands to gain from the state of the world of professional golf, Hughes did lament where he believes the sport is at.

Hughes said while preparing for The Sentry in Maui, Hawaii, on Tuesday.

“It’s a bit of a circus. 2019, to me, was like the peak of professional golf. Our economic model was sustainable. The LIV threat came along and all of a sudden we started to double the purses, and we’re asking sponsors to double their investment, and we’re giving them the same product. Fans also, I think, are left wondering, like, do guys even love playing golf anymore, or are they all just concerned about money? All these guys going to LIV have made it pretty clear that it’s all about money. I mean, growing the game, but also money.”

As the PGA Tour continues its negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – the money behind LIV – into extra holes, Hughes hopes that the end game is more tournaments with all of the game’s biggest stars.

“The outcome I hope for is that there is a way for the tours to obviously co-exist, and there’s some sort of unity, and there’s not a huge rift between ’em. There’s like some way that there’s, not a pathway, but there’s just sort of a little more of a free-flowing pass back and forth,” Hughes said.

🚨Mackenzie Hughes Takes Last Spot in Sentry Tournament of Champions!👀

Jon Rahms departure to LIV moved Mackenzie Hughes from 51st in the rankings to 50th meaning he will gain the last spot on the Sentry!#golf #ranking #golflife #golfnews #golfaddict #sport pic.twitter.com/8DNu1FaFUf

— GOLF LINKS (@GOLFLINKS__) December 31, 2023

That would be best for the fans and the game in the long run. But he feels like that destination isn’t approaching anytime soon. 

“How do you make everyone happy? You can’t. The way forward I hope is smoother, but I know it will be messy before it gets smooth again.”

Cover Image via PGA Tour