'He's really hoping for a deal' Paul McGinley drops Jon Rahm bombshell on eve of The Open

Sky Sports Golf's Paul McGinley believes Jon Rahm is "really hoping for a deal" between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour as a result of being forced where to play ahead of The Open. 

McGinley made his feelings be known to GolfMagic and a number of other reporters following Sky Sports Golf's new partnership with adidas Golf at this week's 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon. 

Rahm signed a multi-year deal with LIV Golf worth a reported $600m at the end of 2023.

But since joining the breakaway Saudi league, the former World No.1 has failed to win a single tournament all season.

The move has also coincided with Rahm playing poorly in the majors. 

Rahm finished T45 at The Masters, missed the cut at the US PGA and he withdrew through injury ahead of the US Open. 

Scroll below for McGinley's comments about Rahm ahead of The Open...

McGinley thinks Rahm has lost the spark that saw him win four times on the PGA Tour last season, including a second career major title at The Masters. 

While the move to LIV Golf has certainly inflated Rahm's bank balance, McGinley is adamant the Spaniard will have a tinge of regret at not being able to pick and choose the tournaments he wants to play in.

Case and point, last week. 

Rahm was forced to compete on home soil at Valderrama as opposed to hone his skills and get sharp on the links at The Renaissance Club, which once again played host to the Genesis Scottish Open on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. 

Even Tyrrell Hatton, who plays on Rahm's Legion XIII team, brought up this exact subject following LIV Golf Andalucia. 

In the eyes of McGinley, no bigger name wants to see the PGA Tour and LIV Golf strike a deal more than Rahm.

As it stands, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's bankrollers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) are still working on a commercial deal in a bid to help unify the professional game. 

McGinley told GolfMagic: 

"Jon Rahm is just not on the cutting edge like he was, and his performances in the majors this year have shown that.

"I don't think he's in a happy place, he doesn't look content on the course. 

"When he's got that focus about him like he did last year when he was on that strong run, you could see he was relishing and enjoying the challenge. He just doesn't seem settled. 

"Jon is such a great player, but is he hitting a lot of bad shots. The intensity, that positive intensity he normally brings just doesn't seem to be there. 

"I would say he's one of those guys on LIV that is really hoping for a deal. I think he would have liked to have played in Scotland last week rather than Valderrama by choice. 

"That's the problem. You go to LIV, sign away your freedom to pick and choose where you play. Okay, you get paid a lot of money, but you give up a lot too. In the middle of your career, you want to be preparing [for the majors] and you don't have a choice on where to play. I'm sure Jon would have much preferred to play the Scottish Open last week. He's a guy that's won a couple of Irish Opens on links courses, so he's played really well on those courses.

"I have to question whether he is on the cutting edge and whether his preparation is really ready to go this week."

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