Jon Rahm has accused the DP World Tour of “blackmailing players” and said he would not sign a contract that would allow him to play both the circuit and LIV Golf at the same time.
Unlike Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton, Rahm was not among the eight DP World Tour members recently granted conditional release to compete in LIV Golf without being fined.
The Spaniard previously said he had “no intention” of paying a fine for breaching membership guidelines, including appearing at an LIV event without permission, and the fine is thought to be in the region of £2.5 million.
Failure to reach an agreement could jeopardize qualification for next year’s Ryder Cup in Ireland.
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Rich Beam explains the DP World Tour’s statement that eight members have been cleared to compete in competitive tournaments on the LIV Golf Circuit in 2026, but why hasn’t Jon Rahm been cleared?
Rahm’s main concern is the number of DP World Tour events he has been asked to perform at.
“I don’t like this situation and I’m not going to agree to it.”
“I don’t like what[the DP World Tour]is doing right now with the contracts they’re making us sign,” Rahm, a two-time major champion and former world No. 1, said ahead of LIV Golf Hong Kong starting Thursday.
“They want me to compete in at least six events and they tell me where I have to do two of them, which I don’t agree with.
“I told them to cut it down to the minimum of four events and I’m signing tonight. They didn’t agree to that. I’m just refusing to play six events. I don’t want to do that and that’s not what the rules say.”
Rahm says he would be ‘happy’ to pay to play in next year’s Ryder Cup in Ireland
“I don’t know what kind of game they’re trying to play right now, but it seems like they’re trying to use our influence in the tournament, fine us and benefit from what we have to offer in both directions.
“In a way, they are forcing players like me, young players who have nothing to do with the politics of the game, so I don’t like this situation and I’m not going to go along with it.”
The eight players who were granted LIV releases (Hatton, Rory Canter, Thomas Detley, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Mellonk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smiley) all acknowledged that their participation in the tournament would benefit the DP World Tour and its members.
Conditions of the player’s release include paying in full any outstanding fines for violating DP World Tour rules and withdrawing any pending appeals.
This group must also participate in additional specified DP World Tour tournaments and media activities.
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Jamie Weir feels the Spaniard may not be part of the next Ryder Cup team after Jon Rahm’s comments about his dissatisfaction with the DP World Tour.
“You pay to play in the Ryder Cup, but you don’t pay to be on the DP World Tour.”
Rory McIlroy previously said Rahm and Hatton should pay fines and prove their contribution to Team Europe following the scandal over Team America receiving fees to compete in New York 2025.
“We’ve been very tough on the Americans about taking money to play. We also said we’ll pay to play in the Ryder Cup. We have two players who can prove that,” McIlroy told reporters in January.
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In January, Rory McIlroy urged Jon Rahm and Hatton to pay their outstanding DP World Tour fines to prove how much it meant to them to play for Europe at the Ryder Cup.
Regarding McIlroy’s comments, Rahm said: “If all 12 of us were being asked to pay, not just the two of us, that would make a lot more sense.
“There are further complications to this whole situation.
“I understand why he’s saying that, we all do it for the love of the game, but this is a different situation than we normally see.
“While I am willing to pay to compete in the Ryder Cup, I do not have to pay to remain a member of the DP World Tour, an obligation to which I am fully committed.”
