LIV Golf lands PGA Tour star Jon Rahm as a new member.

• On Thursday, Jon Rahm officially joined the LIV Golf league, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, in a surprising move away from the PGA Tour.
• The proposed deal to merge the two leagues is facing a deadline of December 31.
• LIV is poaching the latest star, Rahm, who won the Masters earlier this year.

On Thursday, golf superstar Jon Rahm officially joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league, despite reports suggesting he was planning to sign off on the deal.

LIV Golf has brought significant growth to the game, and I am excited about its potential, said Rahm, who won the Masters in April and is ranked No. 3 in the world, in an interview with Fox New's Brett Baier on Thursday.

Rahm responded to speculation about the reported price tag of the deal by stating, "I cannot comment on that as it pertains to private business."

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf are facing a Dec. 31 deadline to determine the future of their proposed merger.

There are rumors in the golf community that the agreement with Rahm may be part of LIV's plan to push the PGA Tour to approve the merger.

LIV Golf directed CNBC to the announcement made on Thursday when asked for a comment.

ESPN reported that Rahm's deal with the league could be worth more than $300 million and could extend beyond three years. In contrast, Mickelson's deal with LIV in 2022 was worth $200 million. Additionally, ESPN stated that Rahm could also be getting an ownership stake in a new team on the league as LIV continues to recruit additional PGA Tour players.

The PGA recently declared that its league members would have the chance to own a stake in the new company resulting from the PGA-LIV Golf merger.

LIV Golf has frequently recruited PGA players, sparking controversy among golfers worldwide. Rory McIlroy, the second-ranked player globally, declared in July that he would quit golf if LIV Golf remained the only option.

The PGA Tour and an agency representing Rahm declined to comment on the deal. Another firm representing Rahm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LIV was reportedly in talks with Rahm about a potential deal, according to an initial report by The Wall Street Journal.