Jon Rahm accuses DP World Tour of 'extorting' LIV Golf players with six-tournament mandate

Two-time large victor and LIV Golf prima Jon Rahm fired backmost astatine the DP World Tour this week, accusing the European sports enactment of "extorting" players by forcing them to play further tournaments and wage fines for not getting releases to play connected the competing Saudi-backed play league. 

Last month, the European Tour announced that it had reached a woody with 8 LIV Golf pros that would let them to proceed playing connected the rival circuit without acquiring much fines for playing successful events that took spot during the aforesaid week arsenic DP World Tour events. 

Team Europe's Jon Rahm hits his tee changeable connected the No. 1 spread during the singles connected the last time of contention for the Ryder Cup astatine Bethpage Black successful Bethpage, New York, connected Sept. 28, 2025. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters via Imagn Images)

Rahm was not 1 of the eight. 

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"I don't similar what they're doing presently with the declaration they're having america sign," helium said, speaking to the media Tuesday astatine the LIV Golf Hong Kong event. "I don't similar the conditions. They're asking maine to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate wherever 2 of those person to be, amongst different things that I don't hold with."

Rahm, victor of the 2023 Masters and the 2021 U.S. Open, argued helium ne'er needed to beryllium granted releases from either the PGA Tour oregon DP World Tour anterior to joining LIV. 

"I've been a dual subordinate my full career, PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Now with LIV Golf being accepted successful the satellite rankings arsenic portion of the ecosystem, you could astir accidental a three-tour member, adjacent though I'm suspended from the PGA Tour. But I've ever been a dual member. Never erstwhile person I been asked for a merchandise to play either 1 of those tours. We've ne'er submitted a release. So wherefore is it present that we request to beryllium offering this and there's each these penalties?"

He continued, "I conscionable don't similar the situation. I deliberation we should beryllium capable to freely play wherever we privation and person the prime to play wherever we privation and not beryllium dictated what we do. Especially myself. I can't talk for others, lone myself."

Jon Rahm of Spain waits to play connected time 4 of the Open de España presented by Madrid 2025 astatine Club de Campo Villa de Madrid successful Madrid, Spain, connected Oct. 12, 2025. (Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

Rahm said the minimum request for membership, which is 4 tournaments, is thing helium has ever done and is committed to continuing. He said successful effect to the latest petition from the European Tour that helium would motion if they lowered the request to four, which helium said they person not agreed to.

"I don't cognize what crippled they're trying to play close now, but it conscionable seems similar successful a mode they're utilizing america to — they're utilizing our interaction successful tournaments and fining america and trying to payment some ways from what we person to offer, and it's conscionable successful a mode they're extorting players similar myself and young players that person thing to bash with the authorities of the game. So I don't similar the concern and I'm not going to hold to that.

"I conscionable garbage to play six events," helium aboriginal added. "I don't privation to, and that's not what the rules say."

Jon Rahm successful enactment during the archetypal circular of play astatine LIV Golf Riyadh astatine the Riyadh Golf Club successful Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, connected Feb. 4, 2026. (Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters via Imagn Images)

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Despite the four-tournament minimum to support membership, the latest struggle puts Rahm’s information successful the 2027 Ryder Cup successful jeopardy. 

An arbitration sheet successful Britain, Sports Resolution, ruled successful April 2023 that the circuit had the close to penalize players arsenic a rank organization. If the sheet rules successful favour of the circuit again, Rahm would beryllium required to settee his fines oregon suffer his membership, which would support him disconnected the Ryder Cup squad adjacent year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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