Jon Rahm has decided to withdraw his appeal against the sanction imposed on him by the DP World Tour for playing in LIV Golf events. The Spaniard was one of a number of players who were fined for playing in the Saudi-backed series, with the DP World Tour imposing a fine of $125,000 for each tournament played. In Rahm’s case, the fines amount to three million dollars, according to Golf.com.
However, this gesture, made last week, does not change Jon’s stance, who did not want to reach the agreement that eight other players did, including David Puig, to be able to play tournaments without being sanctioned in 2026. These were individual agreements, in which they were required to play a minimum of four tournaments outside the majors and pay outstanding fines, although according to Jon, he was asked for six and two of them imposed by the circuit.
“I don’t know what game they’re playing right now,” Rahm said, “but it seems like they’re kind of using us; they’re taking advantage of our influence in the tournaments, fining us and trying to make a profit. It’s like they’re extorting players like me and young players who have nothing to do with the politics of the game,” he said in Hong Kong. “If they cut my tournaments down to four, I’ll sign right away,” he added. The captain of the Legion XIII, who is a member of the circuit, is scheduled to play the Irish Open, the Spanish Open, the PGA Championship and the Dunhill Links.
The horizon is difficult for Luke Donald, the renewed Ryder Cup captain, to be able to count on Rahm next year at Celtic Manor (Ireland), where Europe will try to extend the successful streak started in Italy and prolonged at Bethpage. In principle, the presence of the man from Barrika in the Spanish Open would not be in danger, as the condition of winner of the tournament allows him to play it for life according to the rules. To compete in the Ryder Cup, players must be active members of the DP World Tour this year, participate in the minimum number of events and settle any outstanding fines. Jon will meet the first two. The third, we’ll see.
The golfers who decided to play in LIV Golf have always argued the double standards that are carried out in the rest of the circuits when there are no fines for players who share membership with the PGA Tour. Or the newspaper library remembers that, in the beginning, Rory McIlroy was allowed to play a Challenge in Egypt, against the interests of the Turespaña Masters in Castellon, because they put a juicy check for him.
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