Jon Rahm fears 'huge divide' over bid to roll back ball at elite level in men's golf

World No 2 Jon Rahm fears a “huge divide” could be created in golf over the bid by the game’s ruling bodies to roll back the ball at the elite level.

Jon Rahm reacts after making birdie on day two of the WGC--Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Texas. Picture: Harry How/Getty Images.

The Spaniard expressed his concern after keeping alive his hopes of progressing in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, where he lost to Rickie Fowler in his opening match but then beat Keith Mitchell in the second batch of round-robin matches.

“I think it sets manufacturers back quite a bit,” said Rahm of a move by The R&A and USGA to introduce a Model Local Rule (MLR) that would reduce driving distance at the top level in both the men’s professional and amateur game by around 15 yards.

“I don't think it's fair to tell all these brands to have to go through the research, the development, and the testing of a brand new golf ball just for a few of us. I just don't think the PGA Tour and the manufacturers are going to put up with that.”

In contrast, Rory McIlroy has backed the move and said he might play with a shorter ball even if it wasn’t implemented by the PGA Tour because it would prepare him better for the majors.

“Let's see if the majors decide to do it,” said Rahm in reply to being asked if he’d do likewise. “I find it hard to believe as well that the majors would go completely against what the professional tours decide to do. And, if that were to happen, that would set a huge divide in the game of golf that is just not good for anybody.”

But he did concede: “I think Rory, to an extent, is right, the change benefits the better player, especially the longer players. We kind of talked about it, and I think I would be hitting it 10 to 15 yards shorter, which would put me on what I was doing in 2019, 2020, and my golf game was pretty good back then as well. So I don't think it would be a big difference.”

Asked if he felt the game needed more division on top of the fall-out over LIV Golf, Rahm said: “I think we need to do everything we can to stay united.”