Jon Rahm said Tuesday he rejected the DP World Tour’s recent offer to allow LIV players to compete this year without fines or releases because they didn’t agree to his stipulation that he only wanted to play four events.
Rahm was not among the eight LIV players – including teammate Tyrrell Hatton and Thomas Detry – who were announced Feb. 21 as having agreed to terms that will see them play extra events on the DP World Tour in addition to the minimum four tournaments required in exchange for having their appeals dropped and past fines paid.
Rahm offered a lengthy defense of his decision on Tuesday that could possibly see him miss out on the 2027 Ryder Cup because he is not currently eligible to compete on the European tour.
“I did tell them, funny enough, lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I’ll sign tonight,” Rahm told reporters ahead of the LIV event in Hong Kong. “They haven’t agreed to that. I just refuse to play six events. I don’t want to, and that’s not what the rules say.”
Rahm is believed to have accrued fines of up to $3 million for playing conflicting events on LIV after signing on with the league ahead of the 2024 season. He appealed the fines in the fall of that year, and the ongoing process is what allowed him to compete last year for the European side at Bethpage Black. If he loses the appeal – the date of the arbitration hearing is not yet known – then he would be forced to pay the outstanding fines in order to play in any DP World Tour events.
Rahm, who has previously maintained dual membership on the PGA and DP World tours, said that he would like to continue playing in events such as the Spanish, Irish and French Opens, in addition to the BMW PGA Championship, but that he was not interested in the additional two-tournament requirement at the circuit’s discretion. He is contractually obligated to play LIV’s 14-tournament schedule.
“I just don’t like the situation – I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not be dictated what we do,” Rahm told reporters, before adding: “I don’t know what game they’re trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they’re using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer. And it’s just in a way they’re extorting players like myself and young players that have nothing to do with the politics of the game. I don’t like the situation, and I’m not going to agree to that.”
Rahm was also asked about recent remarks made by European team leader Rory McIlroy, who said that Rahm and others should pay their outstanding fines to prove their commitment to the squad.
“That statement would make a lot more sense if all 12 of us were being asked to pay, not just the two of us,” Rahm said, echoing previous comments he’d made on the subject. “There’s more intricacy that goes into this whole situation. While I understand why he’s saying that, we all do it for the love of the game, it’s a different situation than what we usually see.
“I’ll gladly pay my way to go on the Ryder Cup, not have to pay to still be a member of the DP World Tour and fulfill a commitment that I’m fully willing to commit.”
The eight players who agreed to the DP World Tour’s terms: Hatton, Detry, recent LIV winner Elvis Smylie, David Puig, Laurie Canter, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk and Victor Perez.