Jon Rahm confirmed in Hong Kong on Tuesday that his position on not signing a conditional release for the DP World Tour remains unchanged. Speaking ahead of LIV Golf Hong Kong, the two-time major champion detailed his decision and why he remains unwavering.
“My position hasn’t changed after a week,” Rahm said. “I don’t like the current state of the contract they’re signing us to. I don’t like the terms.” “They require me to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate things that I don’t agree with, like where I have to play two of them. On that basis, I’ve been a double member on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour throughout my career. Now, with LIV Golf being accepted into the world rankings as part of the ecosystem, I would say it’s almost a three-tour member, even though I’m suspended from the PGA Tour.”
“But I’ve always been a dual member. I’ve never been asked for a release to play on either of these tours. I’ve never submitted a release. So why do I have to offer this now and with such a penalty? I understand why they would do it. What’s the problem?”
DP World Tour announced on February 21st Eight players from LIV Golf have agreed to the terms. That would allow him to play in 2026 without additional release or fines. An additional provision of the conditional release was that the tour would select two additional events in which these players could participate, in addition to the four events required to maintain membership.
Rahm said he would be happy to sign if there were four tournaments remaining, as he is scheduled to play in his home country’s Spanish Open during the season when he normally competes on the DP World Tour. The Spaniard is eyeing events such as the Omega Masters, Irish Open, BMW PGA Championship, French Open and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship due to their proximity to the Spanish Open on the schedule.
“I don’t know what kind of game they’re going to play right now,” Rahm said. “But in a way it looks like they’re trying to use our influence in the tournament to fine us and benefit from what we have to offer both ways, and in a way they’re just robbing players like me and young players who have nothing to do with the politics of the game.
“So, I don’t like this situation and I’m not going to agree to it. Now I told them, oddly enough, the bare minimum, I’m going to take it down to four tournaments and sign tonight, and they haven’t agreed to that. I’m just refusing to play six tournaments. I don’t want to do that, and that’s not what the rules say.”
Rahm has said in the past that he doesn’t think he should be fined for missing a tournament he probably wouldn’t have played in anyway. He has not yet paid the fine and appealed in September 2024 and was allowed to keep his membership and compete in the 2025 Ryder Cup.
No hearing date has been set, but if Rahm loses his appeal he will be forced to pay all outstanding fines in order to be eligible to compete on the DP World Tour and then the 2027 Ryder Cup. LIV Golf paid fines to other players throughout the 2025 season.
“Given the fact that two years ago I was asked to appeal the fine to figure out and resolve this issue, which I did, and now I’m facing more problems. I don’t like this situation,” Rahm said. “I think we should be free to play wherever we want, and we should have the option to play wherever we want without being told what we’re going to do.”
Rahm’s European Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy chimed in when news of the DP World Tour deal surfaced, pointing out that it would be a great chance for Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton (who signed the deal) to prove they pay to play in the Ryder Cup. The Europeans, in particular, gave the Americans a boost after getting paid at last year’s event at Bethpage Black.
“If all 12 of us were asked to pay, not just the two of us, this statement would have more meaning,” Rahm said. “There’s more complications to this whole situation, you know. I understand why he’s saying that, we all do it for the love of the game, but this is a different situation than we normally see.
“While I am willing to pay to compete in the Ryder Cup, I do not have to pay to remain a member of the DP World Tour, an obligation to which I am fully committed.”
