Yet, ahead of the PGA Championship at Valhalla, the two-time major winner pushed back on the notion that he’s no longer affiliated with the PGA Tour. Rahm was asked about his perspective on the PGA Tour policy board chaos amid slow negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), as a member of the “other side.”

“You guys keep saying the other side but I’m still a PGA Tour member, whether suspended or not,” Rahm said at Valhalla Golf Club. “I still want to support the PGA Tour. And I think that’s an important distinction to make. I don’t feel like I’m on the other side, I’m just not playing there.”

Rahm did not give up his PGA Tour membership, unlike high-profile defectors such as Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.“I think it’s important because I’m a PGA Tour member,” he continued. “I’ve said however I can: I would like to support it, right? So even though I’m playing full-time on LIV Golf, like I’ve said many times, had I been allowed, I would have played extra events earlier in the year. And if allowed in the future and not conflicting with my schedule I would play in the future.

“The PGA Tour has given me so much. … I’m not going against it.”

In March, Rahm admitted it “hasn’t” been easy missing premier tournaments on the PGA Tour.

“I’m not going to lie; for everybody who said this would be easy, some things have been, but not being able to defend some titles that mean a lot to me hasn’t. I love Palm Springs. I’ve been able to win twice there. Riviera is about as charismatic of a golf course as we have.”

Rahm ranks second in the LIV Golf individual standings but is yet to win an event. His Legion XIII team has two victories.

Earlier on Tuesday, Tiger Woods described talks between the PGA Tour and PIF as having a “long way to go.”

“I think there’s a way of coexisting,” Rahm said before the Players Championship. “I just want to be able to see the best in the world compete against the best in the world, whatever that looks like. … I hope I get to tee it up at The Players again.”

The 2023 Masters champ finished a disappointing T45 (+9) at Augusta National in April.