In an attempt to allow its players to compete on the DP World Tour, the LIV Golf League tried to negotiate a deal to pay players’ fines while offering other monetary payouts and concessions from the league, according to a Sports Illustrated report.
The DP World Tour rejected the offer.
“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,” A DP World Tour spokesperson told SI.
Former DP World Tour golfers competing for LIV Golf are in violation of the DP World Tour’s conflicting events policy, which requires a release to play elsewhere. In April 2023, the Tour won a U.K. arbitration case that allows it to enforce the penalties. That means if players want to compete on the DP World Tour, they’ll have to pay a fine, among other penalties.
Jon Rahm, who Sunday won LIV’s season-long individual championship and the $18 million prize, as well as others like Tyrrell Hatton, want to compete in at least the minimum required events on the DP World Tour to be eligible to play in the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. However, to do so, they must pay up.
Rahm and the DP World Tour have been in a somewhat back-and-forth, with an appeal coming from Rahm and his side last week of the sanctions, allowing him to play in events like next week’s Spanish Open.
LIV Golf has paid more than $10 million in fines for its players, and there’s plenty of cash in Rahm’s pockets to pay the fines, if he chooses to do so.
A DP World Tour player must compete in a minimum of four events, excluding majors, to remain a member. The Olympics count, leaving Rahm three events to go this year. Next year, it’ll be the same process.
“I’m entered into the tournament,” Rahm said last week at LIV Golf Chicago. “We entered a long time ago. Whether they let me play or not is a different thing. I’m not a big fan of the fines. I think I’ve been outspoken about that. I don’t intend to pay the fines, and we keep trying to have a discussion with them about how we can make this happen.
“I’ve said many times, I don’t go to the Spanish Open for the glory or anything else. I think it’s my duty to Spanish golf to be there, and I also want to play in Sotogrande.
“At that point, it would almost be doing not only me but Spanish golf a disservice by not letting me play, so yeah, that’s why we’re trying to talk to them and make that happen. I would also love to play the Dunhill. I have a good friend who asked me to play, and Johan has been a great, great ambassador for the game of golf. I would love to be able to play all those events.”
However, the DP World Tour has planted its foot. It’s standing by the precedent set with the arbitration ruling last year and the PGA Tour with its “strategic alliance” between the two.
The PGA Tour and Public Investment Fund remain in negotiations about the future of men’s professional golf.