DP World Tour Rebuffs LIV Golf
09/18/2024 by Johanna Lakämper
The negotiations between the LIV Golf League and the other tours are entering the next round. The DP World Tour says a clear “no”.
Jon Rahm in the dispute between DP World Tour and LIV Golf. (Photo: Getty)
The LIV Golf League has split the golf world into two camps: The PGA Tour and the DP World Tour clearly distanced themselves from the new tour, imposed sanctions on their players and blocked any rapprochement. The LIV Golf League did not let up and over time the fronts seemed to calm down a little – from allowing the return of players who had left to a joint umbrella organization. Negotiations have recently resumed.
The Jon Rahm case causes a stir
In recent weeks, there has been a lot of fuss about Jon Rahm, one of the best players in the world, who decided to switch to LIV Golf. Although LIV players are now allowed to take part in the coveted major tournaments, the Spaniard would not be able to take part in the Ryder Cup without playing on the DP World Tour. Sports Illustrated reported that before Rahm appealed his sanctions, LIV Golf attempted to strike a deal with the DP World Tour that would lift the penalties for LIV players while offering various concessions and a monetary payout from the league.
By appealing the penalties imposed by the DP World Tour, Jon Rahm has been given the temporary opportunity to play on the DP World Tour and thus participate in the Spanish Open 2024 next week. Not only will he be playing for a DP World Tour victory in his home country, but he can also secure important points for a possible place in the European Ryder Cup team.
To maintain membership, a DP World Tour player must play in at least four tournaments outside the majors. The Olympics count as one of those, so Rahm has three more to go. He will have to do the same in 2025, when the fines theoretically kick in again. It is believed that he owes around 1 million dollars. It can be assumed that the figure for next year will be similar.
Paying off his fine should not be a problem for Jon Rahm or LIV Golf as his backers: LIV Golf has so far paid around 12 million pounds (around 15.75 million dollars) in fines for LIV golfers who have taken part in DP World Tour events – a further 10 million pounds is still outstanding. Rahm could scrape together what he owes without question.
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The DP World Tour says “no”
LIV Golf had made an offer to the DP World Tour with the aim of enabling migrated players to participate in selected DP World Tour events. The DP World Tour rejected the offer with the following explanation: “We met with them and listened to their proposal but did not accept it, as our view remains that the focus should continue to be on all stakeholders working together to reach an overall solution that benefits our sport.” This means that the issue surrounding Jon Rahm, which also affects other players such as Tyrrell Hatton, remains.
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