Jon Rahm Rejects European Tour Deal That Would Allow LIV Golf Participation
Jon Rahm has turned down a conditional deal from the European tour that would have allowed him to compete in LIV Golf events without penalty. The two-time major champion rejected terms that required him to pay outstanding fines, participate in specified European tour events, and drop his appeal against previous penalties.
Rahm’s decision puts his eligibility for the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland at risk, pending the outcome of his appeal against fines received for playing in the Saudi-funded league without proper releases.
Eight other LIV players, including Tyrrell Hatton, have accepted similar conditions. The DP World Tour announced Saturday that Hatton, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig, and Elvis Smylie have all agreed to the terms. All but Smylie, an Australian, remain eligible for Ryder Cup selection.
The tour has granted these eight players conditional releases to compete in the LIV Golf League in 2026. In exchange, they’ve agreed to settle all outstanding fines, participate in designated European tour events, and withdraw any pending appeals.
This offer wasn’t extended to Sergio Garcia and several other players who have already resigned their European tour membership.
Each player’s agreement contains specific conditions, though all require more than the minimum tournament participation needed to maintain European tour membership. They’ll also be required to participate in media and promotional activities.
Rahm has consistently refused to pay fines for playing LIV without proper releases. His ongoing appeal has allowed him to remain eligible for last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, which Europe won. However, if the Sports Resolution arbitration panel rules against him, as it did in April 2023 when it upheld the tour’s right to penalize players, Rahm would need to settle his fines or lose membership—effectively ending his 2027 Ryder Cup hopes.
The Spaniard joined LIV Golf for the 2024 season while he was the reigning Masters champion. His move came during negotiations between the PGA Tour, European tour, and the Saudi wealth fund backing LIV Golf—talks that have since broken down.
Rahm has played six European tour events over the past two years, including three in his native Spain. Before the 2024 Spanish Open, he stated bluntly, “I am not a fan of the fines and don’t intend to pay them.”
Rory McIlroy addressed the situation in Dubai earlier this year: “We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There’s two guys that can prove it.”
The European tour believes having these players compete in additional tournaments would add value to their events. Rahm and Hatton, as Ryder Cup veterans, would particularly boost field strength. Rahm is a former world No. 1 with major victories at both the Masters and U.S. Open.
The tour confirmed that Hatton and the other seven players will retain their membership through 2026 if they comply with the conditions, without facing additional penalties.
“The releases apply for the 2026 season only and they are not precedent-setting,” the tour stated. “Requests for releases will continue to be considered on their individual merits in accordance with the regulations that all members agree to abide by.”
The PGA Tour, which maintains an alliance with the European tour, recently created a “returning members” program when Brooks Koepka came back after four years with LIV Golf. This program was also offered to major champions who joined LIV since its 2022 launch—Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith—but they’ve chosen to remain with the Saudi-backed league.
Meanwhile, former Masters champion Patrick Reed decided not to renew his LIV contract and is now playing a European tour schedule. With two wins already, he’s virtually certain to regain his PGA Tour card next year.
