Despite being on opposite sides of the issue, McIlroy and Rahm both expressed positive opinions about LIV Golf’s new CEO.

Jon Rahm got his 2025 campaign off to a disappointing start as the LIV Golf star missed the cut on his return to the DP World Tour at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Although Rory McIlroy may eventually share Jon Rahm's optimism about the state of professional golf, he currently does not believe the sport is in its "golden era" -- as the Spaniard suggested on Tuesday.

Jon Rahm thinks Greg Norman's exit as LIV CEO is a positive step as "there was too much bad blood" between him and golf's power brokers.

Greg Norman has been replaced as LIV Golf CEO by Scott O'Neil - and Jon Rahm believes the decision was made due to the Australian's "bad blood" with golf's governing bodies

Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland missed the cut and Rory McIlroy was forced to battle to make the weekend as the headline acts struggled at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Rory McIlroy will need a spectacular weekend to win a third straight Dubai Desert Classic title after slipping nine shots behind halfway leader Ewen Ferguson on Friday, while Jon Rahm missed the cut.

Jon Rahm had a debut to forget at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic after missing the cut on his first trip to Emirates Golf Club. Having been a tour pro for nine years, the two-time major winner had never played the Middle East’s longest established tournament before this week.