The rivalry between the PGA Tour and the European Tour (LIV Golf) is nothing new. The two sides have always been at loggerheads, especially over money. Whether it’s huge prize money or fines, the rivalry has only gotten more intense. The rivalry may have slowed down after the merger was announced, but it hasn’t happened yet. Can you believe that 11-time PGA Tour champion Jon Rahm was fined and paid a massive fine to the European Tour?
When LIV Golf first emerged in the golf industry, it immediately attracted a lot of attention for its desire to attract famous and top golfers to its alliance. Jon Rahm is one of the most well-known players to date. In December 2023, he joined the Saudi-funded alliance and his contract was rumored to be worth $500 million. As soon as the news came out, he was banned from the PGA Tour, but he did not completely sever ties with the European Tour.
When European golfers like Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia switched to LIV Golf, they were heavily fined by the DPWT because they still had membership. They were fined because they played LIV events without permission from the European Tour, which also suspended them after winning the legal battle. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton were already members of the DPWT because they applied for membership before switching.
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Rahm’s LIV Golf colleague Lee Westwood, who quit the DP Tour a year early because of the huge fees he had to pay to the Ryder Cup, mentioned on the Rough Cut Golf Podcast that the difference in fines also came about because of membership. He said, “I have resigned from the European Tour but they [Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton] No, they have been fined now. But it’s nowhere near the amount I and Ian Poulter and a few others have been fined, so it’s not consistent.”
Lee Westwood explained that the amount he needed to pay was about $850,000. He said, “They catered to the European Tour and said, you know what if we pay them a fine,” He added, “I still owe $850,000 in fines.“Westwood immediately made it clear that he had no intention of paying the sum, particularly as he had not agreed to theand how they are distributed.” That’s a problem for Westwood and many players like him who play in events that are even half-owned by the European Tour.
Westwood’s comments suggest that Rahm was asked to pay more than he did, perhaps even more than $1 million. But because he retained his membership on the DP World Tour, the number changed. For Westwood and Poulter, however, the number remained the same. But it may be the lowest price a golfer can pay. Why? Because of the Ryder Cup!
Jon Rahm qualifies for 2025 Ryder Cup
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“The European Tour will have to rework its Ryder Cup qualification rules. There’s no doubt about that.” Rory McIlroy said in December, but it turns out that the DPWT didn’t listen. DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings made it clear that no exception would be made for Jon Rahm. Kinnings tried to imply that if Rahm met the conditions and followed the rules, he would definitely be eligible to play.
The current qualification criteria for European teams is simple: “The fact is that under the current system, if a player is European, a member of the DP World Tour and abides by the existing rules, then he is eligible.”
“If you don’t get released, there are penalties, so the player has to accept those penalties. If he accepts the penalties, then there is no reason why a player who has obtained LIV membership and maintained his DP World Tour membership cannot a) qualify or b) play in the Ryder Cup,” Jinnings said.
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In addition to paying the usual membership legal fees and fines, Rahm will have to serve his suspension to qualify for the 2025 Ryder Cup, according to Ginnings. Rahm does not need to play in subsequent DP World Tour events to serve his suspension, Ginnings explained. “He would have been banned even if he had not played. To qualify for the Ryder Cup, players must play in at least four DP World Tour events.” Kinnings said Jon Rahm would be eligible to play in the Ryder Cup as long as he was willing to pay the fine.
Do you think the rules of LIV Golf are widely accepted among the fan community? Let us know in the comments below.
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