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Why LIV Golf’s Jon Rahm is accusing DP World Tour of ‘extortion’
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- Why LIV Golf’s Jon Rahm is accusing DP World Tour of ‘extortion’
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Why LIV Golf's Jon Rahm is accusing DP World Tour of 'extortion' appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Jon Rahm and the DP World Tour are not on the best of terms, that's for sure.
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Earlier today, Rahm, a Spanish native who has been a part of the LIV Golf since 2023, went after the European tour, which he claimed mandated that he play in six of its events this season, including two that it picked.
"I don't know what game they're trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they're using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer," Rahm said, via ESPN's Mark Schlabach. "[It's] just in a way they're extorting players like [me] and young players that have nothing to do with the politics of the game. So, I don't like the situation and I'm not going to agree to that."
Rahm said he would agree to play in four DP World Tour events, just not six. He also accused the tour of changing its handling of LIV golfers, eight of whom received conditional releases from the European tour in February to compete in the LIV Golf League.
"I've always been a dual member," Rahm said. "Never once have I been asked for a release to play either one of those tours. We've never submitted a release. So why is it now that we need to be offering this and there's all these penalties? I understand why they're doing it. What's the problem?
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"I just don't like the situation. I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not [dictate] what we do, especially myself. I can't speak for others, only myself."
Rahm, who sat atop the world as the top-ranked golfer for a year from 2020 to 2021, has struggled in recent years to regain the form he had when he won his two majors, the 2021 U.S. Open and 2023 Masters. Currently ranked 54th in the world, Rahm backtracked on public declarations of loyalty to the PGA Tour to join the Saudi LIV Golf on a reported record-setting $350 million contract.
Over the last two years, Rahm has three top-10 finishes at majors, three finishes between 14th and 45th, and one missed cut, which came at the 2024 PGA Championship. He subsequently missed the U.S. Open due to a foot injury.
In 2025, Rahm suffered his first winless season since turning pro in 2016. Following an event in his home country of Spain in October, he took a four-month break, returning last month with back-to-back second-place finishes at LIV Golf events in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Adelaide, Australia.
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