In a move that further eases tensions between the DP World Tour and LIV Golf, the European circuit announced early Saturday that eight members have been granted “conditional releases” to play LIV events in 2026.
DP World Tour members who joined LIV Golf have had access to events on the European circuit as long as they pay fines for playing LIV tournaments that violate the tour’s conflicting tournament regulations.
Under the agreement, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie are eligible to play DP World Tour tournaments in 2026 without being subjected to the conflicting event rules when they participate in LIV events.
Notably, that list doesn’t include Jon Rahm, who has appealed the fines issued by the European circuit. The Spaniard told Golf’s Subpar Podcast the fines have reached around $3 million.
“The conditions these members have accepted will provide additional value to the DP World Tour and benefit to the entire membership,” a statement from the DP World Tour read. “Provided each member satisfies the conditions of their individual releases, no disciplinary action under the regulations will be taken against them for playing in conflicting tournaments on LIV Golf in 2026 and they will retain their membership status.”
A request for comment was not immediately returned from LIV Golf.
The eight members must pay all outstanding fines for past violations of the conflicting event rules, participate in “stipulated” DP World Tour tournaments and media activities and withdraw any appeals for past violations.
The DP World Tour statement also said the conditional releases are not “precedent-setting” and apply only to 2026.
Rahm, who has continued to compete in European tour events while his appeal of more than two years of fines is pending, was supportive of the possible plan to grant players conditional releases.
“I don’t know what it may be or what it’s going to look like, but I’m happy to see that looking for a path forward for LIV players to be able to play on both tours and not to get penalized,” Rahm said at the LIV Golf season opener last month in Saudi Arabia.
Hatton joined Rahm in appealing the fines in 2024 but the Englishman has now embraced the European tour’s offer for conditional releases.