As the uncertainty around the likelihood of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton being eligible to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup in New York in 2025 continues to rumble on, it has emerged that the DP World Tour recently rejected a proposal from LIV that would see the outstanding fines paid off and future restrictions on LIV players playing in DP World Tour events removed.
First reported by Bob Harig at Sports Illustrated, the meeting is purported to have taken place last month and along with the removal of sanctions and the payment of outstanding fines amounting to almost $15 million, LIV were willing to tailor their schedule so that no LIV events would be held opposite the bigger DP World Tour events.
Last week’s Amgen Irish Open and this week’s BMW PGA Championship both conflicted with LIV’s Individual and Team Championships, meaning that none of the LIV players were able to bolster the fields, and had the proposal been accepted, this is something that would’ve been avoided going forward.
But the DP World Tour are unwilling to compromise and say that the rules are the rules.
“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 Tour spokesperson told bunkered.co.uk.
It is likely that the DP World Tour’s Strategic Alliance with the PGA Tour was a significant factor in the decision, as talks between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund continue and an agreement between the DP World Tour and LIV would’ve provided the PIF with a stronger hand to bring to the negotiating table.
The news comes shortly after it was confirmed that Rahm had followed his Legion XIII teammate Hatton and appealed against the fines he’s accumulated – an appeal which makes him eligible to compete in the Spanish Open, Andalucia Masters and Dunhill Links Championship which will see him meet the threshold for keeping his Tour membership for 2025.