The DP World Tour is playing hardball with LIV golfers for 2027. Jon Rahm hopes a compromise can be found

VIRGINIA WATER, England — Jon Rahm says he isn’t tired of questions about LIV Golf. Well, not yet.

“No, I understand you're all doing your job, I get it,” the Spaniard told reporters on Tuesday at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the DP World Tour’s flagship tournament.

This comes a week after LIV Golf announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New Jersey as part of a restructuring agreement with BC Partners.

Rahm’s patience is admirable after fielding several months’ worth of reporters’ inquiries about the besieged golf league and with likely more on the horizon. “It’s not always the strongest of my traits, but thank you for that,” Rahm said at Wentworth, prompting laughter.

The two-time major champion ignited further speculation over his LIV future when he cryptically answered a question at last week’s Irish Open. “I still have a contract with LIV 1.0 that I’m more than willing to fulfill,” Rahm said in Ireland when asked if he’d like to see a direct pathway back to the PGA Tour similar to the Returning Member Program used by Brooks Koepka. “Like I said, time will tell.”

Plenty in golf were left wondering if Rahm’s use of “1.0” in Ireland was deliberate. Which meant on Tuesday at Wentworth, the DP World Tour’s headquarters, Rahm was pressed on whether there was a threshold in his LIV contract where he knew he was free to leave.

“Well, there's a long legal process they have to go through before a lot of things fall into place. I really can't give you an answer right now,” Rahm said.

“Like I said, I'm very close to expecting our fourth [child]. Hopefully playing good this week, and at the end of the year, whether we play in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or elsewhere … so until this current season is done, I really won't be able to give you an answer.”

Asked again if after saying he would honor his LIV 1.0 contract that meant he’s committed to LIV 2.0, Rahm’s patience finally met a limit.

“I said what I said.”

LIV CEO Scott O'Neil’s pitch to investors and players for 2.0 is a 10-event series with five international legs and five U.S. tournaments. There are also plans for player equity in the league. But LIV reportedly requires 50 percent of the players who have bankruptcy claims to agree to LIV 2.0 and the total value of that group has to amount to 66.7 percent of all player claims.

Rahm is arguably LIV’s biggest star outside Bryson DeChambeau and was a big money signing ahead of the 2024 season. He has not been involved with the planning discussions for the competition and structure of LIV 2.0.

“I think some players have had more involvement than others. I think some people have wanted to be more involved than others,” Rahm said. “If there's anything I've learned the last, I would say, five or six years, it's that I don't know if I'm meant to be involved in the politics of this game. I don't think I'm suited for that line of work. Luckily, I'm good at hitting a golf ball, and I think that's what I should be sticking to.”

Rahm was one of nine LIV golfers who struck conditional releases with the DP World Tour to continue playing on the European circuit in 2026 without accruing more fines for competing in conflicting events. Those releases are unlikely to be offered in 2027, meaning LIV players have sought information about their playing options going forward. Four LIV players, including recent winner Michael La Sasso, recently advanced through first stage of DP World Tour qualifying school in Germany.

With a potential influx of LIV players, the DP World Tour is shaping up to have stronger fields this fall and in 2027.

“To be able to answer that, I think we need to know how exactly LIV 2.0 is going to shape up. I think this is another opportunity for the DP World Tour to make some adjustments and gain some strength. That's a 100 percent,” Rahm said. “I think this next year and a half is going to be possibly important to hopefully elevate the DP World Tour a little bit more.”

For now, though, former World No.1 Rahm is focused on going one better than his runner-up results at Wentworth in 2019 and 2022.

“I always look forward to coming because of the significance of the event and the golf course … ball-striking is at such a premium,” Rahm said. “I think that's why I've been able to do so well here.”