Tour pro outlines "disastrous outcome" over Jon Rahm's refusal to pay LIV Golf fines

England’s Eddie Pepperell has suggested the DP World Tour may be attempting to “curry favour” with LIV Golf now because there is uncertainty surrounding their strategic alliance with the PGA Tour.

Last week, the European-based circuit extended an olive branch of sorts to a select group of players from the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway.

Eight golfers – including England’s Tyrrell Hatton – have settled their fines with the DPWT and given up their right to appeal in order to continue playing LIV Golf events in 2026 without being sanctioned.

Jon Rahm’s name was not included in the list and it is understood the Spanish two-time major champion rejected the terms and is ploughing ahead with his appeal on the principle that he should never have been fined in the first place.

The news throws uncertainty over his Ryder Cup future.

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Should Rahm lose his appeal, he would be forced to pay up or sit out the 2027 matches when they head to Adare Manor in Ireland.

Pepperell told the latest edition of The Chipping Forecast that he didn’t know what the ramifications would be should Rahm win his case.

He suggested DPWT officials may be thinking about the fact they are due for talks with the PGA Tour at the end of 2027.

Even though their agreement runs through to 2035, it is understood that the PGA Tour are able to walk away.

Previously leaked court documents suggested the North American circuit viewed the DPWT as a “distressed asset” before agreeing the alliance.

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And it may well be the case that the PGA Tour may no longer want to continue their partnership given they are now flush with cash from the Strategic Sports Group.

“I don’t know then what the ramifications would be for the DP World Tour, but one would imagine they would be quite significant,” Pepperrell said.

“So a part of me thinks a lot of this is or quite a bit of this is strategic from the DP World Tour’s standpoint in terms of the fact that at the end of this year, this five year initial deal is up with the PGA Tour.

“And my understanding is there’s still a fair bit of uncertainty and ground to cover there to re-sign a new deal that works for both parties.”

Jon Rahm

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He added: “So I wonder if the DP World Tour are just trying to curry favour with LIV to some degree to enable this next six months to pass before negotiations can be had on either side.

“Because if the DP World Tour isn’t able to cement something akin to what it did five years ago, then it’s quite possible that the DP World Tour could be looking at partnering up or doing or moving more closely in line with LIV Golf.

“And of course, this is one step in that direction.”

Jon Rahm

Pepperell added that if Rahm is refusing to pay based on his own ego then it is right that he should sit out the Ryder Cup.

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“There’s a lot of speculation to all of this,” he said.

“I think Tyrell, I think the interesting thing, if it is more simple than we’re making it out, and this is about ego and Jon willing to pay, I would say fine, you lose your membership.

“You’re not part of the Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup is far bigger than one player, including Jon Rahm.

“Tyrell Hatton has shown that he’s willing to pay his fines to play, not just in the Ryder Cup, but in DP World Tour events.

“And Jon hasn’t. And I think that reflects most poorly on Jon Rahm, in my opinion.”

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The reaction from DPWT players

It will be interesting to see how the deal is received for the current DPWT membership.

In the past, several players have expressed their discontent and suggested the Wentworth-based circuit has not been harsh enough in their treatment of LIV golfers.

There will no doubt be a few grumbles on the driving range.

“The fine line that’s attempting to be tread here is extremely fine,” said Pepperell.

“If it is indeed deemed in any way, the perception from the membership is that this is too soft and that these players are able to now have their cake and eat it effectively.

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“The DP World Tour, of course, runs the risk of losing another two to three players at the end of the season, the way they lost Elvis Smylie.

“And there would have been one other, I think, who would have played a lot more golf on the DP World Tour this year, but now they’re not, they’re going to play on LIV.

“So not only are we bleeding players to the PGA Tour, we’re now going to be potentially bleeding more players across to LIV, which I think is a disastrous outcome for the DP World Tour.

“So they have to think about that. Of course, they will be thinking about that.”

Joaquin Niemann

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Pepperell continued: “There needs to be a disincentive, there needs to be still a deterrent in place to stop players moving across to LIV at will at the end of the year.

“And of course, you think of young players like Angel Ayora. He’s very much on Sergio Garcia’s radar, has been for a couple of years, and he is a super talent.

“And he’s the kind of guy that, okay, the Tour’s going to lose. The Tour’s going to lose in one direction or the other to the PGA Tour or to LIV Golf.

“It isn’t a satisfactory outcome, I don’t think, for the DP World Tour under any scenario.

“But nonetheless, it’s going to happen. So the DP World Tour has to decide where would we rather lose that player to.

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“I would still rather them go to America and play on the PGA Tour, invariably, of course.

“But lots of things to consider, and it’s a very difficult balance to get right for Guy Kinnings and the team.”

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Tour pro outlines “disastrous outcome” over Jon Rahm’s refusal to pay LIV Golf fines

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