Jon Rahm left the PGA Tour and DP World Tour to join LIV Golf in 2024. He’s had some complaints about it since then. Things have definitely softened, but initially, the DP World Tour and PGA Tour were both harsh towards golfers who defected, including Rahm.
The DP World Tour still hasn’t softened as much as the PGA Tour. And in the latest saga between the two, Rahm has lashed out about the six-event minimum the Tour has established. This is all part of the broader fight for Rahm to remain Ryder Cup eligible.
Jon Rahm is unhappy about the DP World Tour’s policies
As part of a way for Jon Rahm to regain DP World Tour membership, the Tour wanted him to commit to six events a year. The Tour would dictate two of those events, but Rahm was free to choose the other four while also playing for LIV Golf.
Rahm declined the deal and was not particularly happy about it. “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,” Rahm said.
He went on, criticizing the deal as a way of taking advantage of golfers. ” just in a way they’re extorting players like and young players that have nothing to do with the politics of the game. So, I don’t like the situation and I’m not going to agree to that.”
Rahm did say he would sign a deal if they lowered the requirement to four events a year. The PGA Tour, which Rahm used to play on, has events almost every single weekend, though most don’t play all of them. LIV Golf’s schedule is much more laid back, with 15 events a year.
That was a big draw for many golfers, and apparently, it’s important to Rahm not to overextend himself. “They haven’t agreed to that,” Rahm said of his four-event rebuttal. “I just refuse to play six events. I don’t want to, and that’s not what the rules say.”
DP World Tour granted LIV Golfers releases
Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig, and Elvis Smylie were all granted releases by the Tour to play on LIV Golf. A DP World Tour statement revealed that the golfers had agreed to:
- Pay all fines for violating regulations
- Play in more tournaments than the necessary four for membership (hence the six-event minimum)
- Withdraw all pending appeals
Jon Rahm brought up the fact that he played on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour without having to get releases to play on either one, wondering why that is now necessary for him to play on the DP World Tour and LIV Golf.
“I’ve always been a dual member,” Rahm said. “Never once have I been asked for a release to play either one of those tours. We’ve never submitted a release. So why is it now that we need to be offering this and there’s all these penalties? I understand why they’re doing it. What’s the problem?”
He continued, “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 what we do, especially myself. I can’t speak for others, only myself.”
“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,” Rahm said. As of now, it’s unclear what’s next. An arbiter may hear his case, but the hope is that it will be resolved by the time the Ryder Cup comes around next year.
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