The dispute between Jon Rahm and el DP World Tour increasingly resembles the Oscar-winning film of 2026. Yes, one battle after another. The first has been won by the DP World Tour. At least, that is what can be inferred from Rahm’s words on Saturday after finishing the third round of the LIV Golf South Africa and after withdrawing the lawsuit against the DP World Tour.
Jon retira la demanda y tendrá que pagar las multas para volver a jugar en el DP World Tour
For the first time since this story began, the golfer from Barrika has shown a willingness to pay the outstanding fines. Now, however, the other battle remains. How are those fines to be replaced? The DP World Tour asks Jon to add two more tournaments to his minimum schedule on the European Circuit (the same as it has agreed with the rest of the LIV Golf players) and Rahm asks to leave it at four, as it has always been. For now, Jon is not willing to cross that line.
In any case, Jon’s words yesterday in Steyn City should be seen as a de-escalation. One line has been removed, so things are a little closer to an agreement. In fact, the Spanish golfer says he is willing to sit down and negotiate again when necessary.
“We are still trying to talk with them and negotiate what is best for both parties. I’ve said it before and I can repeat it. They offered us a deal that I don’t think was right, but if they changed it so that I played a minimum of four tournaments —I don’t think it’s fair that they are demanding people play more golf than is already required under the agreement they have with them— then I would sign with them. That would mean my fines are paid in exchange for signing and that I get authorisation to play LIV Golf this year”, he explains.
The key is that final sentence of this extract from his statements. “That would mean my fines are paid”. It is the first time he has voiced this possibility aloud. Indeed, until now he had refused on the grounds that they seemed unfair to him… for the same reason he finds it unfair that they ask him to play two more tournaments. The substance of the matter, really, does not change. Jon believes he should not be punished for playing in LIV Golf… and even less for not playing DP World Tour tournaments that he has never played or was not going to play.
Be that as it may, and whether we find the stance more or less coherent, the reality is that Jon has given ground on one point. He leaves the door open to paying the fines. That is precisely what Justin Rose was asking for a few weeks ago. Or Rory McIlroy himself, when he said that Rahm and Hatton had a good opportunity to show they would really be willing to pay to play the Ryder Cup. By the way, the fines, as everyone knows, would not come out of Rahm’s pocket, but would be paid by LIV Golf, which is why his stubbornness in not resolving this point was even harder to understand.
Once the hurdle of the fines is overcome, the next one remains. Jon and the DP World Tour will sit down again to negotiate what the punishment for playing in LIV Golf becomes. The European Circuit’s proposal has been to change the fines for a commitment to play two more tournaments, a condition that Jon does not want to sign under any circumstances at the moment
“It doesn’t seem like it should be a very difficult decision for them, but apparently those two extra tournaments are where they are drawing the line and I’ve already told them I’m not willing to play them. I have never played more than four DP World Tour tournaments. I think the year I played the most was five and under special circumstances. As I’ve said, my plan is to play in Europe, on the DP World Tour, at the end of the year, and there are the Omega, the Irish Open, Wentworth, I think the Open de France, the Dunhill and the Open de España. In that stretch, it is most likely that I will play my four tournaments, and I want to be there. Obviously, I will be in Spain. That will always be the big moment of the year for me in that sense”, he says.
DeChambeau mantiene a raya (de momento) los valientes ataques de Rahm y Puig
So, these are the issues that need to be negotiated before this season ends. We’ll see if anyone gives ground and how much. Will it end up closing at five, as was published in Ten Golf several weeks ago? The truth is it looks likely. It will depend, obviously, on how far each side’s stubbornness goes. The DP World Tour has a fairness problem when it comes to yielding. The rest of the players have signed up to two more. On the other hand, Jon understands that his standing in the Ryder Cup team makes him deserving of special treatment.
We’ll see how it all ends. Right now, there is plenty of time to sit down and negotiate again. Jon will not play another DP World Tour event until September. There is that margin to face the new battle. Remember that Jon must meet the minimum tournaments this year to retain his membership on the European Circuit and thus be able to play in the Ryder Cup in 2027. This is the crux of the conflict. To meet that minimum, an agreement will have to be reached first.
