Portugal Colonial - Morikawa says LIV players face 'business decision' after Rahm exit

Rahm's decision to leave LIV due to "unacceptable" terms deals a significant blow to the divisive tour as it attempts to relaunch itself after declaring bankruptcy.

Along with Bryson DeChambeau, double major winner and former world number one Rahm was arguably the most prominent golfer to defect from the PGA Tour and join the free-spending, Saudi-backed league.

But LIV filed for bankruptcy protection last month after its deep-pocketed Middle Eastern backers pulled the plug.

The tour is trying to relaunch next year with new investors as "LIV 2.0". Retaining popular stars like Rahm has been widely seen as critical to its prospects.

Morikawa, in Japan to play the PGA Tour's Baycurrent Classic, told AFP that "everyone has their own choice to make".

"It's a business decision, it's a decision that a lot of guys aren't going to take lightly," said Morikawa.

"Are you able to go to sleep at night, keep waking up motivated, doing what you love, going out and achieving your goals and whatever those goals might be?

"It's whatever platform that's going to be best set at," he added.

Rahm's lawyer John Beck told a US Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey hearing on Wednesday that the player would "not be participating going forward in LIV 2.0".

Beck said that "advanced discussions for a consensual separation agreement of Mr. Rahm and LIV" are ongoing, according to a courtroom audio recording verified by AFP.

Morikawa said he did not know where Rahm would play in the future and added that "you don't get many second chances in life".

"I don't know if this is a second chance, I don't know what opportunities they're going to have but at the same time I think you're going to see a lot of them play on the DP World," he said.

"I don't know about the top guys but you're going to see a lot of them potentially go over there.

"It's going to strengthen world golf."

The PGA has no plans to offer LIV players a pathway back, chief executive officer Brian Rolapp said in August.

While the PGA Tour offered a temporary path back for some LIV players -- five-time major winner Brooks Koepka in January took advantage, paying financial penalties -- no repeats are planned, said Rolapp.

Morikawa said that "a lot of the LIV guys are trying to figure out what's next".

"Hopefully we can all step forward and forget about what has happened and go out and enjoy golf for what it is again," he said.

X.Matos--PC