The European golfers of LIV Golf risk facing a significant setback in their future at the Ryder Cup, according to a decision made by the Saudi league. As reported by James Corrigan of the Telegraph, and as noted by bunkered.com, LIV Golf has informed its players that it will no longer cover the DP World Tour fines from 2026.
Since the circuit’s inception in 2022, stars like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton switched tours knowing that the fines imposed by the Wentworth-based circuit would be paid by the Saudis, allowing them to continue competing on the European circuit and accumulate points for the Ryder.
However, it is expected that players will soon have to dip into their own pockets if they wish to remain members of the DP World Tour and be eligible for the Ryder Cup, being forced to pay the fines.
The English newspaper has accessed a letter addressed to the circuit’s chief executive, Guy Kinnings, in which Rahm’s representative makes it clear that the former world number one “has no intention of paying any fines.” The issue could be resolved if the DP changed its rules or, as the Spanish golfer’s representative states, allowed players like Rahm “to play on the DP World Tour without worrying about pending sanctions, alongside some of the best players in the world, in some of their favourite countries and in front of the incredible European public.”
Their fellow Legion XIII members face the same dilemma, while fellow Spaniard Sergio García, Ryder star and player with the most points in the tournament, has already rejoined this season to try to secure his place in the Ryder Cup. LIV paid nearly a million pounds to help the Masters winner regain his card.
However, an internal source has told Telegraph Sport that a change in rules would not be well received by current DP World Tour members. “There would be outrage if the circuit gave in,” the anonymous source stated.
“The issue is that the DP expected the peace negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudis to have already been resolved, so they postponed the decision convinced it would no longer be relevant. But with no agreement in sight, quite the opposite, a major
“And, at this moment, unless the deadlock between the two parties is broken, or the DP World Tour changes its rules or even abandons the strategic alliance with the PGA Tour and aligns with the Saudis, it is inevitable that the European Ryder Cup will be weakened for the competition to be held in Ireland in 2027. These are uncertain times and there is much anxiety about what will happen next,” it states.
Meanwhile, the report states that, so far, LIV has sent approximately 15 million pounds, with the possibility of adding between 8 and 10 million more in pending fines. This would be confirmed if the appeal filed by Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, among others, does not succeed.
The hearing will take place after the September Ryder Cup and the outcome is expected to be negative for the interests of LIV players, given the precedent set when the DP World Tour won a legal battle against García, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood, among others.
