LIV Golf’s Jon Rahm has accused the DP World Tour of “extorting players” when explaining the reasons why he refused to sign the deal with the DP World Tour which eight other members accepted, granted them conditional release to participate on both circuits without being incurred with fines.
Last month, the DP World Tour announced that Tyrrell Hatton, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig, and Elvis Smylie had all agreed to strict conditions such as paying any outstanding fines, withdrawing all pending appeals, and increasing participation and media activity.
Speaking ahead of LIV Golf Hong Kong, the 31-year-old Spaniard explained the details as to why he was “not going to agree” to the deal’s conditions.
“I don’t like what they’re doing currently with the contract they’re having us sign,” Rahm said. “I don’t like the conditions.
“They’re asking me to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate where two of those have to be, amongst other things that I don’t agree with.
“If we just go based on that… I’ve been a dual member my whole career, PGA TOUR and DP World Tour. Now with LIV Golf being accepted in the world rankings as part of the ecosystem, you could almost say a three-tour member, even though I’m suspended from the PGA TOUR.
“But I’ve always been a dual member. 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 [don’t] understand why they’re doing it. What’s the problem?”
The former world no. 1 previously publicly stated that he has “no intention” of paying the reported $3m in penalties he has accumulated since the 2024 season.
“Given also the fact that two years ago I was asked to appeal the fines so they could figure this out and sort it out, and I did, and we’re running into more problems right now,” Rahm 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 be dictated what we do. Especially myself. I can’t speak for others; only myself.
“I’ve always committed to play the minimum requirement, and I think I’ve played four events, including the Spanish Open, every year except one as a pro, and I commit to do that. That’s not going to change. I still fully intend to do that.
“Now, with the LIV and the major schedule I don’t think I’m going to be able to do so until our playoffs or our last events are done. But given on the back nine, right, we have the Omega Masters, I believe, Irish Open, Wentworth, French, Dunhill, Spain.
“Out of those events, I would love to play my four in there given I’m going to the Spanish Open, three of those I am going to play, and I fully intend to play three of those. I would love to.”
Having not yet agreed a deal with the circuit, the two-time major winners’s future as a Ryder Cup participant for Team Europe remains in major doubt.
Rahm added: “I don’t know what game they’re trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they’re using us to, 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.
“So I don’t like the situation and I’m not going to agree to that. Now, I did tell them, funny enough, lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I’ll sign tonight. 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.”