Jon Rahm has revealed that he was completely ignored by one of his former colleagues from the PGA Tour upon his return to Augusta National for last week’s Masters. He had an awkward reunion with someone who was close to on the circuit before his decision to move to LIV Golf. 

Rahm headed to Georgia as defending champion, but was unable to win back-to-back green jackets, after world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler landed his second Masters win in three seasons. Rahm was in action against Scheffler and co for the first time since opting to make a mega-money move to LIV Golf last December.

It was expected that the Legion XIII’s reported £450 million switch to the Saudi league would help reunite the world of golf having announced himself as one of the best players on the planet in recent years.

And whilst tensions between the PGA Tour and LIV appear to be easing, one Tour player in particular has seemingly been left unhappy with the Spaniard’s decision to defect. Quizzed on whether he received a warm reception whilst making his comeback, Rahm told Golf Channel Latin America: “Some did. I expected it.”

“And then, there was someone else who I expected to be a little tougher… and one of them hugged me.

“I think that, among all the relationships I have, it has been everything that I expected. My friends are still my friends. And then someone, with whom I was very cordial and had a positive relationship, has not even looked at me.

“If someone changes their opinion of me, it is more their problem than mine. I am not worried. I knew it was going to happen. I didn’t know who.”

Since deciding to join Greg Norman and co for the 2024 season, Rahm has reiterated his desire to be able to play across the LIV setup PGA Tour and DP World Tour in the near future.

“I do want to maintain my PGA Tour and DP World Tour status I will not give that up,” he said in December. “Hopefully with the freedom LIV gives me I can play both those tours. There are certain PGA Tour events I want to play as long as my schedule allows. If possible, I want to make that happen.”

In February, the Spaniard revealed it was ‘hard’ missing a number of PGA Tour events close to his heart earlier this season amid his ban from the American-based circuit. Echoing his hopes to return, he said in February: “I’m hoping that in the near future I can be back playing some of those events. I would certainly love to go back and play some of them.”

“If there’s ever a way back and a way where we can play, even if it’s as an invite, I will take it. Like I said, there’s certain events that are special to me that I would still love to support. I’m not typically a person that’s going to regret any decisions. I made as educated a decision as I could get with the full support of the people around me and confident that it was the right thing for me.”