Tranlate this title Jon Rahm launches a scathing attack on DP in spanish

Jon Rahm harshly criticized the DP World Tour, the European golf circuit, on Wednesday, accusing it of «using and, in a way, blackmailing» players by offering them a deal to settle their fines for being members of LIV, the Saudi league, in exchange for playing in more tournaments.

«I don’t like the situation and I’m not going to accept it,» Rahm emphasized, ruling out joining the agreement reached with eight LIV players who accepted full payment of their fines in order to maintain their DP World Tour cards while playing on the Saudi circuit.

According to Rahm, the requirement being imposed on him is that he play a minimum of six events, with two of those being chosen by the DP World Tour: «I don’t like what they’re currently doing with the contract they’re making us sign. I don’t like the conditions.»

Jon Rahm, statements

“I don’t know what game they’re playing right now, but it seems like, in a way, they’re using us to… They’re taking advantage of our impact on tournaments, fining us, and trying to profit from both sides of what we have to offer. It’s like they’re blackmailing players like me and young players who have nothing to do with the politics of the game,” the Basque golfer criticized at a press conference in Hong Kong, where the LIV tournament begins this Thursday.

The dispute began after the creation of the Saudi league in 2022, which led the DP World Tour to impose fines on players who joined it for not participating in its tournaments that overlapped with the season.

In Rahm’s case, who has been a member of LIV since 2024, he refused to pay the fines and filed an appeal, which suspended the case pending the appeal’s decision. This allowed him to play in the Ryder Cup last year, as membership in the DP World Tour is a prerequisite for being part of the European team.

The ‘Lion of Barrika’ explained that he would be willing to sign the agreement if the obligation were reduced to four events, the minimum currently required of players participating in other leagues, but he regretted that the European Tour rejected his proposal.

“They haven’t accepted. I simply refuse to play six events. I don’t want to, and that’s not what the rules say. (…) I don’t like the situation. We should be able to play freely wherever we want without being told what to do. Especially me. I can’t speak for others, only for myself,” the former world number one pointed out.

The 2023 Masters and 2021 U.S. Open winner emphasized that he has never had to request permission to play in a tournament and wondered why it is now required.

He also stressed that his intention is to participate in four European Tour events, including the Spanish Open in October, once the LIV season ends in August.

The agreement announced by the DP World Tour on February 21 has been accepted by eight LIV players, including Spaniard David Puig and Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, Rahm’s teammate in the Saudi league and partner in the Ryder Cup.

When asked about Hatton’s decision, the Basque golfer responded: “I respect his decision. That’s all I have to say. He’s free to make his own decision, and I fully respect it.”

He also addressed the comments made by the world number two, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, last January when he argued that Rahm and Hatton should pay their fines to demonstrate their commitment to the European Ryder Cup team.

“That statement would make a lot more sense if they were asking all twelve of us (on the European team) to pay, not just the two of us (…) I’d be happy to pay for my participation in the Ryder Cup without having to pay to remain a member of the DP World Tour and fulfill a commitment I’m fully prepared to make,” he concluded.