In an exclusive interview with Golf Monthly, Jon Rahm has given his take on whether or not the sport’s distance problem can be solved by simply limiting the height players can tee up their drivers.

It is one of the most fiercely debated topics in golf. The governing bodies – the R&A and USGA – previously announced they would implement a golf ball rollback in the men’s professional game in 2028 but, following negative feedback from several major stakeholders, that has been pushed back.

January 2030 is now the planned date for the implementation of a rolled back golf ball for everyone, pros and amateurs alike.

It is something that has split opinion. Most in favor want to see the game become more of an all-round test again, while the detractors insist those in charge are searching for an answer to a problem that does not exist.

There have been plenty of differing ideas floating around that would likely be easier to put in play, and one such came from Sir Nick Faldo.

The six-time Major winner believes limiting the height of tees to one inch would have the desired impact as it would stop players from being able to really optimise how they deliver their driver.

“What is the goal of the rollback, to make the golf ball go shorter,” Faldo says in an upcoming episode Golf Monthly's Kick Point podcast.

“It's pretty harsh to say off you go, you've got to go retool, which I assume costs hundreds of thousands, and how do they market this ball that goes 15% shorter than last year, good luck with that one.

“So as I said, it's right under our noses, give them a short tee.”

Faldo even revealed he has proof it works after convincing Bryson DeChambeau and Kyle Berkshire to try hitting a driver off a one-inch tee.

Now Rahm has had his say on the idea.

Put to him ahead of The Open at Royal Birkdale, the Spaniard told Golf Monthly: “That's a very, very specific question!

“I think I’d need to get into the physics of the game, but the tee height would actually be counteractive to the ball rollback.

"So If you're a person that hits down on the ball, even with the ball rollback, you wouldn't lose that much distance.

“An example [would be] Gary Woodland with his dynamics, he's down on it, more spin. With the rollback, you will lose one to two yards.

"A person like Rory McIlroy, let's just say with the same ball speed because he hits up with it, it's a more efficient ball flight and he would lose up to 16.

“So if you reduce the tee height then you’re almost doing everybody a favor.

"I think we would adapt, honestly. It would change a little bit, but manufacturers spend so much money on finding out the most efficient way for all of us to be able to play the clubs and play at our highest [level].”

Rahm's fellow multiple Major winner Padraig Harrington agrees that players would quickly adapt.

"We’d adapt very quickly to a shorter tee peg. No doubt about it, we can change our spin lofts, the equipment, we can adapt our own physical self to tee heights and things like that. We would adapt, no doubt about it," Harrington told Golf Monthly.

"I wouldn’t disagree with them doing it," the two-time Open champion continued.

"I’m all for it, if you want to reduce the tee height, great. If you want to reduce the size of the heads, great. If you want to reduce the length of the clubs, great.

"If you want to reduce the number of clubs, think that would be fantastic, great. If you want to make sure the putter has to be the shortest club in the bag, great.

"If you want to stop anchoring, great. They did change the grooves, that really hurt my game back in the day but it was the right thing to do, great.

"We want to make the game the most rewarding you can to the most skillful player. Being powerful is part of being skillful so I don’t have a problem rewarding the most powerful player. This idea of the rollback will actually advantage the more powerful and stronger player.

"But we do need to roll back something because you can go to any golf club now and you’ll find ten youths who hit the ball with 190mph+ ball speed and have no idea where they hit it.

"And they don’t even know they hit it that fast.

"You can go out there and all the kids hit it 300 yards plus. When I played if you hit it wild you hit the treeline, now if you hit it wild you carry that treeline and pitch in the next fairway.

"So every club in Dublin is defunct because of the equipment. All the parkland courses in Dublin and courses are closing holes, you see golf courses where you can only hit an iron off this tee, you can only play to the corner, you’re not allowed to do this, do that.

"The rollback is not needed in America because they have more land. It’s so much needed in Ireland, in the summer and with the young guys."

The rollback debate will surely rage on... Stay turned to Golf Monthly for all the latest news and updated.

Jon Rahm has left the door open to putting up his own money in a bid to ensure the survival of LIV Golf beyond this season.

With the funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund set to come to an end at the conclusion of the 2026 campaign, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has been scrambling to find new investors.

The reported figure required is $300 million for what could become a 10-event schedule in 2027 if all goes well.

Rahm signed a huge deal reportedly north of $300m to join LIV at the end of 2023 in a move that shocked the world of men’s professional golf.

And now that the league is facing something of a crisis, it has been suggested some of the players might stump up their own cash to keep it going next year.

Asked at the Scottish Open if he would be willing to invest in it, Rahm said: “I know Scott [O’Neil] is doing a lot of work trying to find developers. And there's many ways around that, as far as putting my money into it, they have not asked me to do that yet.

“So I don't know if they will or not. It's not something that they have asked me but there has been many different avenues to try to make it different, what we've had till now. They haven't asked me to put my money in yet.”

Pushed on whether he would if he was to be asked, Rahm added: “Something I've learned in life, never say never. I'm not going to say absolutely no to anything that can happen in the future.”

The Spaniard also confirmed which other DP World Tour events he was committed to playing this season to meet the membership criteria of the circuit.

“I'm here, Ireland [for the Irish Open] and Wentworth [for the BMW PGA Championship],” he continued. “I want to play the Dunhill [Links Championship] and Spanish Open but that doesn't seem likely because of our due date being in October. Being our fourth, I don't think I would have time to fly back and be on time.

“So most likely miss those two. I hope in Spain - I've already talked to them and asked if I can arrive Thursday morning, I'll tee off in the afternoon, so maybe we wait till the last moment. But then otherwise, I'll have to play most likely Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Those would be the events I have in mind.

“If for whatever reason there's a change in the due date and I can play the other events, I will, but those are the five events I would like to play, including this one.”

‘Spain deserves a bigger event’

Rahm was also asked about the recently announced changes that are coming to the PGA Tour and, specifically, the new-look post-season schedule that is in the pipeline.

While yet to be fully confirmed, it could open up the possibility of more players opting to enter some DP World Tour events in the latter part of the year, something Rahm hopes could lead to an elevation of the Spanish Open.

“One of my complaints back in the day that was changed was that I didn't like when you finished the FedEx Cup that immediately seven days later they are starting a new FedEx Cup,” Rahm said.

“And when we show up to the Tournament of Champions, if you didn't play in the fall, you were a thousand points behind somebody. I don't feel like it's fair for the points race to start in January.

“And with that said, I always played DP World Tour that time of year because it was hard for me to play elsewhere earlier on because I always like those West Coast events. September through December was always my DP World Tour time.

“The Spanish Open, I would hope for it to become a bigger event. When I was growing up, Spain had five to eight DP World Tour events. They were all quite big.

"The Spanish Open had a bit of a bigger weight to it, and I think we have enough of a footprint in the history of the DP World Tour with Seve [Ballesteros] and Sergio [Garcia] and all that many others have done that I think Spain deserves to have a bigger event. So if that opens the opportunity for that to happen, yeah.

“And I think it shouldn't be the hardest sell. If you can get the right sponsor, the right course and the right prize money, it's not that hard to go to Spain.

"You get good weather, good food, good night life for whoever is interested, good drinking, it produces itself in that regard.”

Jon Rahm has been confirmed in the line-up for the Amgen Irish Open in September as part of his deal with the DP World Tour to remain eligible for the Ryder Cup.

The Spaniard brokered a deal with the DP World Tour in May, which saw him pay all outstanding fines related to playing on LIV Golf and agreeing to appear in several tournaments this year.

The Genesis Scottish Open is one of those, and Rahm's now added the Irish Open - an event he's won twice and is know to be a huge fan of.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back to Ireland for the Amgen Irish Open,” said Rahm.

“Winning this tournament twice means a lot to me and it’s always a place I enjoy playing. The courses, the fans and the challenge of links golf make it a special week.”

Rahm won the first of his 10 DP World Tour titles at the Irish Open at Portstewart in 2017, and followed up with success at Lahinch in 2019.

The 31-year-old will now look for a third Irish Open title at Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg from September 10-13 as part of a stellar field.

Rory McIlroy will headline the event alongside Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Rahm's Legion XIII teammate Tyrell Hatton.

Rahm has always mentioned the Irish Open as an event he missed playing in since joining LIV and one he'd targeted this year when needing to play in a minimum of DP World Tour events to satisfy Ryder Cup qualifying criteria.

He also plans to play the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and the Spanish Open and Dunhill Links, although the expected arrival of his fourth child in the autumn may see him miss one of those.

Confirming his place at Doonbeg is also a huge boost for the Irish Open, coming a year before Ireland gets to play host to the Ryder Cup again at Adare Manor.

It's also the chance for Rahm to get more DP World Tour starts under his belt, with the continuing uncertainty about the future of LIV Golf showing no signs of a quick solution being found.

Player behavior is a hot topic right now, with Joaquin Niemann the latest to suffer at the hands of the USGA code of conduct, but that's not a bad thing.

Brandel Chamblee has been discussing the way players act, in particular their foul language and propensity for throwing clubs in anger, and he thinks it's about time punishments were handed out.

With Niemann given a two-stroke penalty in the first round of this year's US Open, perhaps players will think twice before they lash out in frustration.

Chamblee reflected on the legendary players of many decades ago, insisting that the kind of behaviour we see today was simply not a thing in the past.

"I never saw Jack Nicklaus throw a club. Never heard him yell an F bomb. Never heard a profane word from him on the golf course," Chamblee told Golf Channel.

"Never saw Palmer do it. Never Tom Watson. Pick your player. Greg Norman, all the bad losses he had, he never threw a club, never swore. Say what you like about Phil Mickelson, but I’ve never seen him throw a club or drop an F bomb," he added.

Times have changed, though, and Chamblee seemed to suggest Tiger Woods may have been the catalyst for a new breed of golfer today.

Chamblee continued: "The same wasn’t true about Tiger Woods. One of the best players ever, we all love him, everybody got rich off him, but he was one of the most profane golfers to ever play the game.

"Nobody ever criticized him, he skated through… they did to some extent but it wasn’t prolific and he wasn’t held to account the way Wyndham Clark was last year when he broke that locker."

Highlighting the various players he has witnessed acting inappropriately, Chamblee added: "Everybody that’s playing now watched Tiger… and it rains F bombs on the PGA Tour.

"Clubs get thrown all the time. Tee markers get destroyed. Players have all the power in the world, nobody reigns them in. I always thought you would get fined for profanity on the PGA Tour, but I guess not. When you watch it’s F bomb after F bomb.

"Jon Rahm missed a putt and screamed the F word as loud as he could. I’m no prude, I’ve played golf, I understand how crazy it gets and I’ve done it, too, of course. But not if I was on TV. These guys are on video everywhere they go. They have a bigger burden than we had, but with that comes unimaginable wealth. It goes with the scrutiny."

The introduction of a new, sterner code of conduct in golf is applauded by Chamblee, who believes the game has changed for the better in the wake of some high-profile transgressions over the last year.

"Composure is a skill. And it’s lazy to throw clubs and drop F bombs when you know the world is watching. There are people watching with their kids," he said. "It’s great that the code of conduct has been passed and that it’s sending a message to the players."

"What Sergio Garcia did at Augusta National, it sent a message," Chamblee stated. "Everyone drew a line last year at the US Open, with Wyndham Clark, and Rory McIlroy tearing up a tee marker. These guys have run amok and it’s great that the code of conduct has been put in place."

Jon Rahm has been playing golf ever since his father fell in love with the sport after seeing Seve Ballesteros in the Ryder Cup in 1997.

Since then, he's gone on to establish himself as one of the very best in the game and followed in the footsteps of his compatriot.

His first win on the PGA Tour came back in 2017 at the Farmers Insurance Open and he's racked up another ten titles since. But how many of them are Majors?

Rahm has etched his name in the history books as a winner at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (2019), the Mexico Open (2022) and won two events in 2020: the BMW Championship and the Memorial Tournament.

He ascended to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking in that year, and did his reputation as the world's best no harm when, in 2021, he landed his first Major title at the US Open.

Rahm wasn't finished there, though. 2023 was an immense year for the Spaniard, with four wins across the season. That included the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Genesis Invitational, and the American Express. His crowning glory, however, was securing a Green Jacket at Augusta that year.

It came as a surprise to many, then, that Rahm opted to leave the Tour and join the breakaway LIV Golf League at the end of 2023. Since then, his reputation and his ranking has slipped somewhat, but Rahm's talent remains undeniable.

Rahm now wants to complete the Grand Slam for Spain by winning the PGA Championship.

But, how close is he to his own career Grand Slam? And how many Majors has the 31-year-old won?

Which Majors Has Jon Rahm Won?

1. US Open, 2021

Jon Rahm really announced himself as the best in the world at Torrey Pines in 2021. His triumph there in the US Open was particularly special as his three-month-old son, Kepa, was in his arms on Father's Day that weekend as he claimed the win.

He was the first Spaniard to win the US Open, and he did so in spectacular fashion. It was a final day which was littered with errors from other players in the field, most notably defending champion Byryson DeChambeau, but Rahm did not stumble.

Going into the final two holes, Rahm was still one stroke behind leader Louis Oosthuizen, but he sunk a stunning 25ft putt on the 17th to make birdie and go level at the top of the leaderboard.

Then, on the final hole, Rahm kept his cool and read the green perfectly to send an 18ft putt bending left-to-right before dropping in the hole for another birdie.

He shot 67 on the Sunday there and finished at six-under for the week to claim the top prize.

Speaking after the win, alongside his father and his son, Rahm said: "It had to happen in a beautiful setting like this. Three generations of Rahms on this green. One of them doesn't know what's going on."

2. The Masters, 2023

Rahm followed up that Major victory two years later at Augusta National, winning The Masters to further cement his status as one of the best in the game.

His victory there was absolutely comprehensive, with a four-stroke lead by the end of the final day after a solid three-under round on the Sunday to take his tally to -12 for the week.

Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka were his nearest competitors at eight-under.

Ironically, Rahm four-putted on the first hole of the tournament. But, he kept his cool and remained patient through the week, battling intense weather conditions along the way, and remained in the running down to the final day.

To some degree, Koepka's collapse in round four, where he shot a 75, helped pave the way for Rahm's win. But there's no denying that the Spanish star carved out the path for himself, too.

Birdies on the third and eighth set him up for success, but a nasty bogey on the ninth hole nearly upset the apple cart. Rahm clawed things back with birdies on 13 and 14, then maintained a strong run of pars while others around him floundered.

Reflecting on his emotions and feelings during the round, Rahm said: "What is going on on the outside is not always a reflection of the inside. I was calm. I never got frustrated. I never really felt like anything was out of control. But obviously you're nervous, right. There’s tension out there."

Jon Rahm has been making steady progress at the PGA Championship over the last three days, and he's determined to finish strong on Sunday for more reasons than one.

The Spaniard was sitting at one-under going into Saturday, but an impressive three-under 67 has him sitting tied for second now on the PGA Championship leaderboard.

Not only does this now present itself as a great opportunity for Rahm to add another Major to his record, and perhaps prove that LIV Golf still has been keeping him sharp, but there's national pride at stake, too.

Incredibly, no Spanish player has ever won the PGA Championship before. Not even the legendary Seve Ballesteros could claim that Major championship.

And, by the sounds of it, Rahm really wants to change that, and help his country claim a Grand Slam in the process.

Speaking to the media after his round on Saturday, Rahm was asked whether his performance at Aronimink can boost LIV Golf in a time of crisis, and he said: "Honestly, in a week like this, I'm thinking more about myself. I'm not going to take on anything outside what I can control when it comes to competing tomorrow.

"If I do get it done and I sit here again tomorrow, then you can ask me the same question, and I'll give you an answer.

"But what it would mean for Spain as well in the Grand Slam tally and being the last leg of the Grand Slam for us as well. There's a lot of things that would mean a lot, but too much of it is out of my control.

"Hopefully I can keep doing what I've done so far this week, especially today, and I get the chance to answer that tomorrow."

As things stand, Spain has four Masters champions (Rahm, Sergio Garcia, José María Olazábal, and Ballesteros). Rahm is the only Spaniard to have won the US Open, while Ballesteros is the only one to have lifted the Claret Jug at The Open.

Rahm is the most obvious candidate to help Spain complete that Grand Slam, but it's worth remembering David Puig is pushing at the PGA Championship and has a chance of glory - albeit a very slim one.

Much has been made of the tough pin positions at Aronimink this week, but plenty of players have managed to find birdies on Saturday, with Rahm among the more successful.

Discussing the nature of play on the third day, Rahm even admitted some of the holes were easier.

"There are some opportunities," he said. "Like I would say the fifth hole was a little bit easier today, and you're hitting from around 150 at 25 miles an hour straight into the wind where if you're short, you're dead. So a little bit easier."

"The bigger changes would be six with the pin. The last two locations were extremely difficult. Today was quite a bit easier on a hole that was playing downwind. So six, and nine being downwind, 16 being downwind, and the biggest change 13 being drivable. So I think with those differences, three, four holes, that makes a big difference," Rahm added.

Rahm is now just two strokes behind the leader and, as we saw on Saturday, that can change in the blink of an eye. It's safe to say he's very much in contention going into the final round of the PGA Championship, with history beckoning for the Spaniard.

A Rahm win would also seal the third leg of the career Grand Slam, having won the US Open in 2021 and The Masters in 2023.

It wasn't a bad start to the PGA Championship for Jon Rahm on Thursday, with the Spaniard shooting one-under at Aronimink.

The challenging course got the better of top golfers on day one, with Rory McIlroy struggling and Bryson DeChambeau having a nightmare first round.

For Rahm, however, he managed to play some great golf despite an unsavory moment that stuck with him after the day's play.

After securing an eagle on the second hole, you'd be forgiven for thinking that everything went Rahm's way on Thursday at the PGA Championship.

However, on the seventh hole, Rahm's second shot did not go to plan and he let out his frustrations by swinging his club at the ground. The problem is, he wasn't paying attention and ended up firing a divot at a volunteer working at Aronimink.

Speaking to the media after finishing his round, Rahm was asked about the incident and he was clearly remorseful about what went happened.

"I got a flier on my second shot that went long. It's not a good spot," he said. "Just out of frustration, I tried to make an air swing, just over the grass, and I wasn't looking, took a divot, and unfortunately, I hit a volunteer."

Explaining further, Rahm insisted he apologized but still feels he has more to do to make amends.

"Unfortunately it hit him in the shoulder and then the face. Which I couldn't feel any worse. That's why I was there apologizing," the 31-year-old added. "I need to somehow track him down to give him a present because that's inexcusable and something that could be completely avoidable.

"Whether it was my intention or not, it was just not good."

They may not have seen eye-to-eye on the topic, but Rory McIlroy is glad Jon Rahm finally got his deal sorted with the DP World Tour.

McIlroy is especially happy Rahm has secured his Ryder Cup eligibility for next year, to ensure he'll be available for Luke Donald's European side at Adare Manor.

Europe's two Ryder Cup big guns had opposing views on the DP World Tour deal Rahm refused to accept while eight LIV players, including Tyrrell Hatton, signed up.

McIlroy thought it was a "pretty generous" deal though and warned Europe could win the Ryder Cup without the Spaniard.

The news of LIV Golf's impending loss of Saudi PIF funding led to Rahm and the DP World Tour striking a deal.

And that's a relief for McIlroy who hopes they can now put the matter to bed.

“I think it's good that we have it all behind us,” McIlroy said on Golf Channel ahead of the Truist Championship.

“I think as a European Ryder Cup player, we all know that having Jon on the team is better than not having him on the team.

“So look, I'm glad that they came to an agreement. It took him a little longer to get there than some of the other guys, but he got there in the end, thankfully.

“It's good that we can put that behind us and move forward.”

Although the two had kept things pretty cordial, the disagreement could have led to some awkwardness if the matter dragged on any longer.

Having Rahm back in the fold well over a year before the Ryder Cup heads to Ireland will also be a relief for captain Donald.

Europe's success has always been built on the bond between the players, and as Donald bids for a historic hat-trick of wins he will need his big dogs to be on the same page.

The future of the LIV Golf League is very much up in the air after news the Saudi PIF is withdrawing its funding at the end of 2026, therefore it might well be prudent for its players to consider alternative options - just in case another backer cannot be found.

While the search has begun to find one, Jon Rahm is adamant his future lies with LIV and he isn't even interested in finding out whether it's possible to cut short his current deal.

The two-time Major winner joined LIV in December 2023 and has enjoyed an immense level of success on the PIF-backed circuit ever since.

However, while the trophies could conceivably continue to flow over the coming months and years, the staggering level of prize money on offer is likely to decrease from 2027 now that the Saudi investment is disappearing at the end of the season.

Since news of LIV's original funding source exiting stage left broke, there have been multiple reports circling stating some golfers are weighing up their options on an alternative career path should the team-based tour change dramatically or even end.

Speaking to Dan Rapaport, Thomas Pieters even revealed he was "ready to retire" after he found out about LIV's potential demise.

Rahm insists he is not one of those people, though, and isn't thinking about anything other than LIV Golf over the next few years.

Ahead of LIV Golf Virginia, Rahm was asked whether he has an exit clause of some description in his contract or whether he must see it out until its reported end in 2027.

He replied: "I'll say I'm also not a lawyer. I have no idea. I couldn't tell you. I have very few talents in my life, and reading a contract or business are not two of them.

"Again, like you just said, as of right now, I have several years on my contract left, and I'm pretty sure they did a pretty good job when they drafted that.

"So I don't see many ways out, and as of right now, I'm not really thinking about it since we still have a season to play and majors to compete for. So it's not something I want to think about just yet."

LIV's first US stop of the season arrives weeks after the league's future was thrown up in the air, with rumors of significant change having already begun to surface in the build up to LIV Golf Mexico City.

While players were asked about the reports at the time, it wasn't until after Rahm lifted his latest trophy that claims morphed into reality.

Therefore, LIV's gathering at Trump National DC was the first opportunity for its players to publicly discuss the timeline of the past month.

Asked for his thoughts on the matter, Rahm admitted he was genuinely surprised to hear the PIF would be departing.

He said: "Honestly I think the initial news and rumors over there in Mexico, since we're in a tournament week, I almost just tried to act as if it was just rumors, right?

"Because we're competing, I didn't want to waste any energy on an already demanding week thinking about it. So for me, the reality kind of came afterwards.

"I would say, like everybody, surprised, obviously unexpected. We did hear the news that there would be funding through for many years, so unexpected.

"Then as the future of the league goes, I think that's obviously a question for the business people. We want to be here. It's been a lot of fun. I want to keep competing. I want to keep sharing some time with them.

"But only time will tell. Scott [O'Neil - CEO] and his team have a lot of hard work to do, but obviously they're experienced in the area, and that's why they've been chosen to take this role."

Meanwhile, it was confirmed that Rahm has been granted a conditional release by the DP World Tour for the 2026 season and is now a member in good standing once again, allowing him to compete at the Spanish Open in October as well as at the Ryder Cup in Ireland next year.

Rahm has paid off his fines, which exceeded $3 million in the end, and must now play five DP World Tour events before the end of the term to maintain membership.

Following months of stalemate, there has been a significant breakthrough in the saga of Jon Rahm’s Ryder Cup future.

The DP World Tour has confirmed that the LIV Golfer and the circuit have reached an agreement on his immediate DP World Tour future, which is pivotal to his participation in the biennial match.

Rahm confirmed the news ahead of LIV Golf Virginia, saying: "There's no longer a standoff. We were able to reach an agreement.

"There was some concessions on both sides. I offered some; they extended an olive branch. Obviously we've reached an agreement. That will not be a stress anymore."

He added: "The Ryder Cup is still really, really far away, but I'm happy that hopefully I won't have to think about any worries or any predicaments come to Adare Manor then or hopefully ever. I want to support the DP World Tour. There's a lot of events I want to play."

A spokesperson for the DP World Tour said: “The DP World Tour and Jon Rahm have come to an agreement on conditional releases to play in conflicting tournaments on LIV Golf during the remainder of its 2026 season.

“This involves payment of all outstanding fines accrued from 2024 to date, along with participation in agreed DP World Tour tournaments (outside the Majors) in the remainder of the 2026 season.”

As a result, Rahm now is now eligible for the 2027 Ryder Cup, which will be held at Adare Manor in Ireland.

The deal agreed appears similar to the conditional releases granted to eight LIV Golfers in February.

However, at the time it appeared to cast huge doubt on Rahm’s Ryder Cup future, because he wasn’t one of the players named.

Instead, the releases were granted to Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie, who all accepted the conditions specified by the DP World Tour for their release.

One of the big sticking points for Rahm was the number of DP World Tour events the players granted the releases were obliged to play.

Speaking ahead of LIV Golf Hong Kong the following week, he detailed the reasons for rejecting the original proposal.

The two-time Major winner said: "I don't like what they're doing currently with the contract they're having us sign. I don't like the conditions.

"They're asking me to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate where two of those have to be, amongst other things that I don't agree with.”

He went on to explain that, if the number of events was reduced by two, he would "sign tonight."

He added: "I don't know what game they're trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they're using us to - they're using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer.

"And it's just in a way they're extorting players like myself 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.

"Now, I did tell them, funny enough, lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I'll sign tonight. They haven't agreed to that. I just refuse to play six events. I don't want to, and that's not what the rules say.

In March, Rahm dropped his appeal against fines imposed by the DP World Tour for playing in conflicting LIV Golf events, but he still didn't pay them, meaning his Ryder Cup future remained in the balance.

As part of the agreement, it is understood that the number of DP World Tour events Rahm is obligated to play has been reduced from six to five.

Jon Rahm notched his second LIV victory of the 2026 season last Sunday in Mexico at Chapultepec. The Spaniard is yet to finish worse than fifth on the breakaway circuit through six events so far this year. He has three second places to go alongside his pair of wins in what has been an incredibly consistent display.

But after a mediocre 38th at The Masters, Rahm continues to struggle to extrapolate his LIV success into the Majors. From a macro sense, Rahm’s legacy will only be centred around his performance at the four big events, as opposed to his play in the LIV Golf League.

The 31-year-old already has two Majors to his name, the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters, but his projected ceiling calls for that total to increase, especially while Rahm is in the prime of his career.

Early Major Success

Rahm won his first Major title at the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines, where he shot a four-under-par 67 in the final round to win by one stroke. The Spaniard birdied the final two holes by draining clutch putts of 25 and 18 feet on the South Course to oust Louis Oosthuizen.

In that post-COVID era, Scottie Scheffler had yet to truly burst onto the scene and become the player he is now, and Rory McIlroy was not the same golfer he was earlier in his career. The door was open for Rahm to elevate himself as one of the generational talents of the current game. In 2021, Rahm's worst finish in a Major was a T8th at the PGA Championship.

However, surprisingly, Rahm failed to continue his impressive form and didn't finish inside the top-10 at any of the Majors in 2022.

He bounced back in a big way by claiming a Green Jacket and The Masters at the start of 2023. Brooks Koepka had held the 54-hole lead by two over Rahm, but a final round 75 from the American gifted the title to Rahm to become the fourth Spaniard to earn a Green Jacket and place himself amongst the golfing greats.

PGA Tour To LIV Transition

In December of 2023, Rahm announced that he was leaving the PGA Tour to join the PIF-backed circuit. The World No.3 at the time had previously dismissed rumors that he was making the switch before a sudden U-turn.

At the time, it was LIV's biggest signing, and perhaps Rahm believed his decision would catalyze an agreement between the PGA and LIV.

Rahm's performance in the Majors once he joined LIV took a noticeable downturn in 2024 despite his consistent finishes on the breakaway team tour.

A T45th at his title defence at The Masters was followed by a missed cut at the PGA Championship at Valhalla. That ended his streak of 18 consecutive weekends in Major Championships.

Rahm was then forced to withdraw from the US Open at Pinehurst due to a toe injury, before rounding off his Major season with a non-competitive seventh-place at The Open, due to a final round 68, to finish eight shots back of eventual winner Xander Schauffele.

The Significance of LIV Victories

Rahm elongated his dip into 2025 by not winning for the entire year. The former World No.1 did claim two top-10s in the Majors, but was unable to locate the winners' circle. This was despite him finishing inside the top-11 at all 13 LIV events last year, spotlighting his profound consistency without getting over the line.

The Arizona resident was briefly in contention at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, tied with Scheffler through 11 holes in the final round. But Rahm played the infamous 'Green Mile' in five over par to plummet down the leaderboard, ending up in a tie for eighth at four-under and seven off the winning score.

Rahm has continued to dominate the LIV tournaments so far this season and is back to winning ways thanks to victories in Hong Kong - his first triumph in 18 months - and, more recently, Mexico City. Alongside that, he has three runner-up finishes and a solo fifth on the circuit, underlining his ability to show up at every single event.

But this is perhaps more reflective of LIV's smaller fields and lack of depth as opposed to Rahm outplaying his peers every time he tees it up. Alongside Bryson DeChambeau, the Spaniard is purportedly the league's main star and is expected to be at the top of the leaderboards.

But in fairness to Rahm, he has doubled his LIV win total through just six events. The most recent success at Chapultepec was due to a seven-under par final round to win by six shots and also included an eagle on the par-four third. Except he was still unable to translate this good form into a run at The Masters earlier this month.

A six-over-par 78 on Thursday put Rahm behind the eight ball, largely down to a dismal display on the tricky Augusta greens. He battled to make the cut on the number and finish just inside the top-40, but was negative strokes gained putting across the four days. For Rahm to rewrite his narrative, he has to at least contend on a Major Championship Sunday, because those are the weeks that matter more than any number of LIV victories.

The 2027 Ryder Cup Dilemma

Another aspect of the current Rahm discourse is that his status for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor is in jeopardy.

Rahm is in a long-running dispute with the DP World Tour regarding unpaid fines for competing on LIV while still being a member of the European Tour. Ryder Cup teammate Tyrell Hatton was granted a conditional release by the DP World Tour to play on LIV but retained his membership.

However, Rahm refused these conditions which stipulate he must play in a certain number of DP World Tour events during the season and is instead pursuing an appeal against the fines. This equates to a potential European Ryder Cup team without one of their strongest players.

The 2027 edition at Adare Manor is still just under 18 months away, but if the situation between Rahm and the DP World Tour is not settled, then he risks being ineligible to qualify or be picked by returning captain Luke Donald.

The four-time Ryder Cupper has accrued 10.5 career points in the showpiece event and has been an integral component of three winning teams. At each of the last three head-to-heads against the USA, the Spaniard has won at least three points out of a maximum of five to engineer back-to-back victories for Team Europe, the second of which was on away soil.

A Ryder Cup without Rahm would lack his customary fire and grit that Europe has fed off of in years past, making it crucial that Rahm sources a compromise with the DP World Tour ahead of Ireland next September.

A Chance To Change The Narrative in 2026

While Rahm is held in high regard by the golfing world, his lacklustre Major performances are starting to creep through the cracks. One way to extinguish the storyline is to execute a commanding win at one of the remaining three big events this year. But, if past results are anything to go by, it won't be easy.

In May, the PGA Championship heads to Aronimink for the first time since 1962. The Pennsylvania golf course did host the BMW Championship in 2018, where Rahm finished in a tie for 24th.

The US Open is being held at Shinnecock Hills, with the venue last hosting the Championship eight years ago. That week, Rahm missed the cut at the notoriously difficult Long Island layout, so there is a chance for redemption this year.

Lastly, The Open Championship returns to the north-west coast of England at Royal Birkdale. Jordan Spieth was victorious on the links in 2017, while Rahm, in just his second Open start, was T44th at three-over par for the week.

The Other Side Of The Coin

Because of Rahm's stellar play on LIV, The Masters could also be perceived as a minor road bump instead of a growing trend.

After last week's win in Mexico amid the recent addition of OWGR points on LIV, Rahm is back up to 20th in the world rankings. Data Golf also has the 31-year-old ranked second - above McIlroy and only below Scheffler - in their own rankings, which incorporates strength of field among other key metrics.

This would suggest that Rahm is playing as well as anyone right now and is overdue to perform well at a Major, particularly if his dominance on LIV continues.

With LIV's financial future uncertain, this season would be the perfect time for Rahm to rejoin the Major winners' circle, stamping his name as one of the utmost forces in the sport for years to come, challenging the current bipolar force of McIlroy and Scheffler.

Do you think Jon Rahm will win a Major this year? Let us know in the comments section below...

Jon Rahm has been LIV Golf's highest earner since joining the league in 2024, with his caddie, Adam Hayes, also enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Working for the Spaniard since September 2016, the player-caddie partnership has earned multiple wins worldwide, including two Majors.

Hayes has done very well and, over the weekend of LIV Golf Mexico, it was reported by the Wall Street Journal that the bagman has put his home up for sale with the asking price just a shade under $14 million.

The actual asking price is $13.95 million and, for that money, you can expect to get an awful lot for the Charlotte-area house.

To begin with, Hayes' estate covers 100 acres and the main house is 5,435-square-feet. A $75,000 Full Swing golf and sports simulator also features in the 3,000-square-foot entertainment space.

What's more, you will also find a gym, wet bar and batting cage, with Hayes stating to WSJ that "I always thought it would be really cool to have one (golf simulator) for our kids and for their friends.

"We basically built the space around the simulator and the gym."

Set in a secluded area, the reason for the move from nearby Lake Norman was due to the estate's privacy.

Continuing, Hayes added: "The lake is fantastic, but there were a lot of looky-loos coming around all the time, and I just never felt like I could get away. I was kind of wanting something a little more secluded."

If the house were to sell for its estimated value, then it would comfortably surpass the area’s $12 million record, which was set in 2025.

For this year, alone, Rahm has pocketed around $12 million on the LIV Golf League and, consequently, it means that Hayes would have earned approximately $1 million for his efforts.

Jon Rahm says reports of the Saudi Public Investment Fund withdrawing its funding for LIV Golf have not worried him this week.

The two-time Major winner and former World No.1 became arguably LIV Golf's biggest signing at the end of 2023, when he joined on a nine-figure, multi-year deal.

Rahm has won LIV's individual standings the last two years but is coming under pressure for his decision to join the Saudi-backed circuit after a poor Masters performance.

He has finished inside the top-10 in 29 of his 30 LIV Golf starts but slumped to a six-over-par 78 on day one at Augusta and finished the week in a tie for 38th-place.

Back on LIV this week in Mexico, he once again got off to a great start and looks set to continue his remarkable record on the circuit - and he says the high-profile reports this week did not distract him.

"Until the people in charge told me whether the rumors were true or not. For me, it didn’t make sense to think about it or waste time thinking about it," Rahm said on whether this week's news has been distracting.

"We were here; we knew we were going to play, so the idea was to prepare for a tournament. And that’s it.

"Since everything happened so suddenly and so quickly, I wasn’t very worried about it because normally, before the rumors start, we already know something.

"There’s always someone within the league who knows something; it happened so fast that I really didn’t worry about it."

Rahm went out and shot a six-under-par 65 on day one at Chapultepec to sit in 2nd-place, three behind Victor Perez.

The Spaniard spoke to LIV's Su-Ann Heng following his round, where he once again stressed that reports this week have not distracted him.

"Can't really waste too much time on things I can't control, right," he said.

"So my mindset was to keep working on the week and operate as normal and keep working on the things that I feel like I needed to keep working on, and prepare for the tournament. That was it."

LIV's CEO Scott O'Neil, who told staff this week LIV is pressing ahead "at full throttle", spoke on the broadcast and did not deny reports of the PIF pulling out. He did deny talks of a 'secret meeting' in New York and hit out at media for their coverage.

"Having been in private equity now for over a dozen years, which is the process you go through, and sometimes it's not smooth and sometimes it's not easy, but I can tell you, given the momentum of this business, we're really excited about where we are and the position where we are," he said.

"This notion of secret meetings and getting summoned to New York - I live in New York so it was easy to summon myself there, but it was a lot of reaching and grabbing for headlines and clickbait and stories.

"For us, we're business as usual. If you want to ask me if this business is tough, I would say absolutely. If you asked me if we're managed very tightly, I would say absolutely. Can this be challenging? Absolutely, and that's what we signed up for, not just me, you, everyone here that's with us down in Mexico City.

"We signed up for this adventure, and it is the ride of a lifetime, or should I say, round of a lifetime.

"I'm disappointed with some of the coverage. I've never been in an industry that has more unnamed sources than this one. In fact, I was reading through some coverage this morning, and I couldn't find one source on the record in all the articles that were written.

"I would just say let's be responsible. If I am a PGA Tour player, I want LIV to survive. These prize purses are pretty good. Competition is good for business. If I'm a television network, I'd love LIV Golf to survive. It's good television. If I'm a reporter, it certainly makes the news a little more spicy, or has occasionally.

"If you're a fan, you want more golf around the world. If you're outside the U.S., we are outside the saturated market and we're in markets that are dying for this kind of action.

"So I think there's a lot more to gain with LIV Golf here than LIV Golf gone."

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp insists he doesn't know what the situation is with LIV Golf's future, but was keeping his options open on possible return pathways for the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.

LIV Golf boss Scott O'Neil says the season is going ahead "at full throttle" in the wake of reports of the Saudi Arabian PIF planning to end funding in the team golf tour.

Reports are circulating across the media of the PIF being on the brink of winding down its investment in LIV Golf, with the most likely scenario so far being that it would come at the end of the 2026 season.

LIV Golf Mexico, the sixth event of the season, is taking place this week as planned and no official comment has been made - but the possible demise of LIV Golf would open up a huge can of worms in terms of the biggest star players and their futures.

As luck would have it, PGA Tour boss Rolapp just happened to be a guest on Trey Wingo's show (talk about great timing) where he was asked about the possible returns of Rahm and DeChambeau.

“I’ve always said on this subject I’m interested in doing whatever makes the PGA Tour better," said Rolapp, who was asked about the possible pathways open for Rahm and DeChambeau back to the PGA Tour.

"Fans want the best players playing together. I’ve always said that from day one when I took the job.

"Having said that, I don’t know what the circumstances are. Once there’s clarity we’ll cross that bridge, but we’re clearly not there yet."

Brooks Koepka was given a fast track back to the PGA Tour, with certain heavy financial penalties involved, while Patrick Reed has to wait until later this year, with the current rule meaning he can play 12 months after his last LIV appearance.

You'd imagine something similar to the Koepka deal would be afforded to the likes of Rahm and DeChambeau if they do want to return to the PGA Tour, but what would happen to other LIV players would be a far more complicated proposal.

And in any case, it's all still speculation, with even the most well-respected publications reporting that LIV Golf will continue until at least the end of the season.

And even if the PIF does withdraw funding, with O'Neil insisting LIV Golf's turnover is increasing, there could still be the prospect of garnering funding from elsewhere.

For now, confusion is king and even Rolapp says he's just reading about the latest developments like everybody else.

“I’m like everybody else, I’m just reading things as they come across," Rolapp told Wingo. "I don’t know what’s going on. It would be premature for me to speculate, so I don’t have a lot to say.

"I just see the same stories everybody else sees. As I’ve said, we’re pretty focused on what we’re doing here and how we’re making the PGA Tour better, so that’s clearly where my focus is,” he said.

Golf Monthly has contacted LIV Golf for comment.

April is not only Masters month for the world of golf, it's also a time to reflect on the past financial year and see which golfers have earned the most money.

With massive prize funds given out each week across the PGA Tour, the LIV Golf League and the DP World Tour, the best players in the world are racking up huge bank balances throughout the season.

Rory McIlroy has just added another $4.5m to his career earnings thanks to his incredible triumph at Augusta National. That'll give him a nice head start for next year's totals, but it doesn't help him surpass one other golfer for the 2025-26 tax year.

The data comes from Sportico, breaking down the earnings of the top-10 highest paid golfers in the world, with details as to how much they earned on the course and off it through sponsorship deals and the like.

McIlroy was in the top two, and led the way in off-course income, but it's actually Jon Rahm who earned the most in total for the last year.

Rahm benefits massively from his contract with LIV, of course. It is though the Spaniard was offered $300m to join the breakaway tour, with half paid upfront and the other $150m paid equally across the years of his contract.

Last year, Rahm is said to have earned a total of $102m, and is the only golfer to break the $100m barrier. Of that figure, $92m came from on-course earnings, with another $10m in sponsorship payments.

The 31-year-old didn't actually win an event throughout the LIV Golf season in 2025, but he still claimed enough points to come out on top in the individual leaderboard. That earned him a massive $18m, which is exactly how much he beat McIlroy by in the money charts.

McIlroy is arguably the most marketable golfer in the world, especially after his remarkable double Masters win. It speaks volumes that McIlroy's net worth was thought to be around $294m in 2023, and will be much higher now.

But, for 2025-26, he is reported to have earned $84m from golf. $29m of that comes from event payouts, while a whopping $55m comes from off-course deals. That actually makes McIlroy the leader in commercial income, narrowly beating Tiger Woods.

Still, McIlroy's closest competitor is Scottie Scheffler, who recorded $81m in earnings last year. Not surprisingly, given his dominance on the Tour, $51m of that came from winnings on the course, while he's thought to have earned a huge $30m from sponsorship deals with the likes of Turtlebox, Nike, TaylorMade, and Huntington Bank.

Looking elsewhere, there's quite a gap between that top three and the rest of the top-10 highest paid golfers. Bryson DeChambeau is next in line, but his earnings stood at around $65m, with $45m of that coming from his lucrative deal with LIV.

Woods, as we mentioned, is the second highest-earner when it comes to commercial deals. $54m of his total came from that side of the game, while only $200,000 was earned from his performances on the course.

Rounding out the rest of the top-10, Tommy Fleetwood enjoyed a successful year thanks to his Tour Championship win in August. That netted the Englishman a mega $10m payout which contributed to his $42m earnings.

Joaquin Niemann is the third and final LIV golfer in the top 10. The Chilean won five events last year, so it's not surprising that he's up there, with earnings of $41m in total.

Beyond that, we have Hideki Matsuyama sitting at $31m. That's largely thanks to his endorsement portfolio, which contributed $25m. Xander Schauffele ($30m) and Collin Morikawa ($28m) complete the list.

Highest-Paid Golfers 2025-26

The 2026 Masters looks like one of the most wide-open in years with some of the big tournament favorites all having question marks around them.

And there's a recent trend around Masters champions that would rule out a host of the big guns at Augusta National this week if it holds true.

As the recent stats say you can't win The Masters if you've had more than a week off before heading down Magnolia Lane to tackle Augusta National.

If that run continues then the likes of defending champion Rory McIlroy, two-time winner Scottie Scheffler, former champions Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed and the in-form Bryson DeChambeau all have no chance this week.

Two weeks off too long to win The Masters?

It's a strong trend too, with only two of the last 20 Masters winners having more than a week off before claiming the Green Jacket, and none of the last 11 champions - according to stats maestro Justin Ray.

The LIV Golf contingent have had no option as the last event on their team golf tour took place in South Africa three weeks ago, meaning Rahm and DeChambeau, along with Tyrrell Hatton, have had two full weeks off.

After trekking around the globe playing in the Middle East, Australia and Asia that doesn't seem like too bad a plan at all - and both Rahm and DeChambeau have been in brilliant form - but this trend says that it is too long a break to take.

All the LIV Golf players, along with former LIV man Reed, also haven't even teed it up in the USA this year yet, which could be seen as a bit of a negative for their chances.

PGA Tour players usually fit in one of either the Houston Open or Texas Open following The Players Championship to have one last tune-up for Augusta and ensure they have no more than a week off.

That's not the case for a large number of well-fancied players though, with Matt Fitzpatrick taking the full two weeks off after winning the Valspar - as has Xander Schauffle after finishing fourth at the same event.

Justin Thomas, Viktor Hovland and Patrick Cantlay are another three to have had two weeks off, along with FedEx Cup leader Jacob Bridgeman who is fancied to do well on his Masters debut.

He won't win it though if this stat holds, with Bubba Watson the last man to take a fortnight off before winning The Masters in 2014.

McIlroy, Scheffler & Rose have had lengthy lay-offs

While that's bad enough, this year there are some big names that have taken even longer off before heading to The Masters, for various reasons.

And as the AP's Doug Ferguson points out you have to go back to Adam Scott in 2013 to find a Masters champion crowned after a three-week break from golf.

This then brings in World No.1 Scheffler, who has just welcomed his second child to the family, and current Green Jacket holder McIlroy who has to end that long run if he's to become just the fourth back-to-back Masters champion.

But it doesn't end there, as Players Championship winner Cameron Young hasn't teed it up since winning at TPC Sawgrass while Collin Morikawa hasn't been seen since withdrawing from the PGA Tour's flagship event with a back injury.

We can add Masters runner-up Justin Rose to that mix as well as he's not played since Sawgrass, while former champion Patrick Reed, who always seems to go well here, hasn't played for a month.

Reed last played at the Joburg Open on the DP World Tour after leaving LIV as he's not yet allowed to return to PGA Tour action. He'll definitely be on the rusty side but his course form could help him.

That's still a lot of big names that are battling against the recent rust factor, among other things, and the sheer amount of them means we likely could see an end to this run, but it does bring a few doubts for the usual suspects and could make this one of the most open Masters tournaments in years.

Jon Rahm believes his ongoing dispute with the DP World Tour will all be sorted out in time for him to return to action later this year - which leaves him confident he'll be playing at next year's Ryder Cup.

Rahm was quizzed about the saga at his pre-tournament press conference for The Masters at Augusta National - although he was keen to point out he didn't think right now was the right time to discuss it.

The Spaniard recently dropped his long-running appeal against the fines imposed by the DP World Tour - but there still seemed to be no end in sight to the impasse with Rahm unwilling to play extra tournaments in some form of punishment for joining LIV Golf.

That left his Ryder Cup participation for the 2027 event at Adare Manor in serious doubt, but the 2023 Masters champion seemed extremely calm about the situation when asked at Augusta.

"Like I've said the last few interviews, I'm going to keep talking with the DP World Tour and trying to figure out a solution that works best," said Rahm, who sounded like both parties are working together on finding a solution rather than against each other.

"I didn't think that going the legal route and going to court was good for anybody, so I have faith in us and the DP World Tour that we're going to find a good solution for both of us."

Eight LIV Golf players have signed a deal to return to the DP World Tour but Rahm has so-far refused to follow suit, being unhappy at being told he must play six events on the tour instead of his usual four.

Rahm accused the DP World Tour of "extorting players" by making them play extra events, and does not want to budge on his offer to continuing playing his four tournaments while also paying off his fines.

He insists he's already made plenty of concessions to try and come to an agreement, and although the two parties may seem far apart on the outside, Rahm seems pretty confident a solution will be found in order for him to return to the DP World Tour later this year.

"We keep talking to them and we continue to negotiate," Rahm added. "I have given in quite a bit on a few things, which I talked about in my last press conference.

"I'm not planning to play until September so that's a bit of a positive. I do intend to continue supporting the DP World Tour.

"But we're going to work it out. It's going to work out. Right now the DP World Tour is doing what they need to do and following the channels they need to follow but I'm confident this will be sorted out before I tee it up in September."

Rahm has previously been adamant that he wouldn't change his stance on the deal, but his tone at Augusta was far more upbeat about the situation.

There's obviously a decent line of communication between the parties despite this saga now dragging on for so long, and if Rahm's attitude is anything to go by then Luke Donald should not be too worried as it seems he'll have his Spanish star available for Adare Manor and his bid for a hat-trick.

Jon Rahm has dropped his appeal against the fines imposed on him by the DP World Tour for playing in LIV Golf - but it's just thrown his Ryder Cup future into even more doubt.

While eight LIV Golf players signed deals with the DP World Tour for reinstatement, paying their fines and agreeing to play in six to eight extra tournaments, Rahm refused.

While the fines are mounting up, Rahm did say he would "sign tonight" if the DP World Tour offered him the same deal but with the usual four minimum events to retain his membership and not six.

Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton had appealed the original fines 18 months ago, in order to remain eligible for the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York, but the DP World Tour has confirmed to Golf Monthly that Rahm has now dropped that appeal.

As first reported by GOLF.com Rahm has withdrawn his appeal - an appeal which not only meant he could play the Ryder Cup but also allowed him to compete in DP World Tour events.

So although proceedings have been dropped, it's far from a resolution of the saga as now Rahm will be unable to play DP World Tour events unless he pays his fines - which he's previously shown no appetite to do.

Aside from the money, it was the addition of being told to play DP World Tour events he'd never usually play that was a big sticking point for Rahm - who was happy enough to play his minimum of four, and pay his fines off, if that deal was offered.

"Now, I did tell them, funny enough, lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I'll sign tonight," Rahm said explaining his decision to turn down the previous DP World Tour deal.

"They haven't agreed to that. I just refuse to play six events. I don't want to, and that's not what the rules say."

Rahm shows no signs of backing down

Rahm has always insisted he wanted to remain a DP World Tour member, but finds it hard to come to terms with having to play in more events than the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood to keep his card.

And he also feels the DP World Tour is having its cake and eating it by wanting LIV Golf players to take part in certain tournaments yet punishing them at the same time.

He said: "I don't know what game they're trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they're using us to - they're using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer.

"And it's just in a way they're extorting players like myself 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 was also growing frustrated that the appeal, which he insists he was asked to put in to enable a solution to be found, was dragging on for so long without an outcome.

Rahm continued: "Given also the fact that two years ago I was asked to appeal the fines so they could figure this out and sort it out, and I did, and we're running into more problems right now."

The next move seems up to Rahm himself, but it seems he's grown tired of waiting for the appeal to materialize into something solid - whether he goes back to the negotiating table or agrees to pay his growing fines, believed to be over $3m, remains to be seen.

Justin Rose thinks Jon Rahm should pay the fines owed to the DP World Tour to allow him to continue his Ryder Cup career.

In February, the DP World Tour announced that it had given eight players conditional releases, allowing them to compete in conflicting tournaments on LIV Golf during the 2026 season. However, Rahm’s name wasn’t among them.

The Spaniard has never relinquished his DP World Tour membership, but that alone isn’t enough to save his Ryder Cup career, with the fines imposed for LIV Golf participation also needing to be paid.

The stipulations allowing the agreement to be struck with the eight other LIV Golfers included payment of all outstanding fines for breaches of the DP World Tour’s regulations, but as things stand, Rahm’s remain outstanding.

He has appealed the fines, which allowed him to play in last year’s Bethpage Black match alongside Rose, but it is expected he will lose it whenever it is finally heard.

It’s a situation that threatens not just Rahm’s participation in the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor but future editions, too, although Rose believes paying the fines is the first step to resolving the impasse.

Speaking to the media before The Players Championship, Rose said: “Yeah, listen, I would like to see Jon - how many guys, eight? The other seven did it. So obviously eight did it and Jon didn't.

“So I mean, there's pretty decent precedent that the deal wasn't outrageous that they were proposing.

"But at the same time, I would like to see Jon pay his fines for sure and be a part of the Ryder Cup.”

Rose also believes that Rahm should see it as a business transaction. He added: “For me, obviously playing on LIV was a decision that he made and wanted to make, and fair play to him for making it and good for him.

“He's playing good golf out there. He's winning. He's making a lot of money, and he's - you know, you can't argue, can't knock what he's been able to achieve out there. So I would just see it as a cost of doing business for Jon.”

Before LIV Golf Hong Kong, Rahm explained his reasons for rejecting the deal, saying: "They're asking me to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate where two of those have to be, amongst other things that I don't agree with.”

He added: “I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not be dictated what we do.”

Rahm also said that if the DP World Tour would lower the minimum requirement from six events to four he would "sign tonight."

That’s an area where Rose has some sympathy for Rahm. He added: “Like for me, being in the Ryder Cup is more than about money. What I would say, where he may have a point is the tour making him play extra events. Maybe he has a point there.”

Ultimately, Rose is hoping that can be ironed out, although he reiterated that first of all, Rahm needs to pay the fines.

He said: “So maybe there's some middle ground where he would do his best to support the Tour as and when, but not necessarily have that hung over his head, but paying his fines is obviously step number one.”

Rose's views mirror Rahm's fellow Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy, who said before the Arnold Palmer Invitational: "Look, there's a reason eight of the nine guys took that deal, right. I think it's a really good deal. Obviously Jon doesn't think so, and he's obviously well within his rights to think that way."

Legion XIII's Jon Rahm finally snapped a streak of consecutive near misses in LIV Golf with victory at its Hong Kong tournament on Sunday.

Rahm had finished runner-up in each of the past four individual LIV Golf events across the start of this season and the end of last term, but the Spaniard finally entered the winner's circle once more via a three-stroke success at Fanling.

The two-time Major winner posted 23-under for the week, helping him top the leaderboard from 4Aces' Thomas Detry and earn a third LIV Golf success since his move from the PGA Tour.

Following his final round of 64 (-6), Rahm admitted to feeling relief now that his run of second places is over and he has a first trophy in his hands since LIV Golf Chicago in September 2024.

Rahm said: "That is the exact word I would use, very relieved. Very, very relieved. Just happy that I could enjoy the walk down 18.

"I made it a little bit more sour for myself, but going down 17, knowing that it was pretty much wrapped up, it was just an enjoyable feeling. Probably why I missed a few shots coming down the stretch. Just happy it's over in that sense."

In a week of low scoring across the field, Rahm posted scores of 66, 62, 65 and 64.

However, the 31-year-old revealed he was struggling somewhat with his swing to start the week and suggested that being questioned over his reasons for not signing a deal with the DP World Tour probably had something to do with it.

Rahm said: "It's funny enough, I wish you could have seen my driving exhibition on the first round range warmup.

"I walked off to that [first] tee with no clue how I was going to hit it off the tee, and somehow managed to keep it in play and each day got a little bit better. I was not comfortable whatsoever.

"There was a lot going on this week, and I think there was still a little bit of tension in me on that first day.

"But each day -- a friend of mine, his name is David Novak, he says, each day get better, and each day got a little bit better, and today, coming down the stretch, the swings from 13 through 16 were absolutely perfect swings.

"I think those holes is pretty much peak Jon Rahm that we can see. Can it get better? I hope so, but I've been playing pretty good golf."

In a relatively surprising top end of the leaderboard, Thomas Pieters finished third on 19-under while Harold Varner III was one place and one stroke behind. Meanwhile, Matthew Wolff rounded out the top-five on 17-under for his first top-10 since LIV Golf Korea last April.

In the team competition, Dustin Johnson's 4Aces triumphed by six strokes on 58-under after the heroics of the two Belgian Thomases and a solid showing from the captain (T24th) as well as LIV Golf Adelaide champion, Anthony Kim (T31st).

LIV Golf will now move over to Singapore next weekend as Sentosa Golf Club hosts before the inaugural LIV Golf South Africa takes place at The Club at Steyn City.

For the first time since September 2024, Jon Rahm is a winner in the LIV Golf League again.

The two-time Major champion hoisted the LIV Golf Hong Kong trophy above his head after triumphing by three strokes over Thomas Detry at Fanling, with 4Aces teammate Thomas Pieters settling for third on 19-under.

Harold Varner III finished fourth while Matthew Wolff picked up a valuable fifth place - his first top-10 since LIV Golf Korea in April 2025.

Each of the top four will collect in excess of $1 million prize money this week. But, for Rahm, victory in Hong Kong banked him his latest $4 million check from a total prize pot of $20 million.

That is before factors like taxes and other takeaways reduce the amount of money professional golfers really see after a tournament.

Although there was disappointment for everyone else aside from Rahm, anyone who ended the week T8th or better has earned around $400,000 as well as precious OWGR points - which are now on offer to those who finish inside the top-10 at LIV events.

Additionally, LIV introduced a new mini pot of $2.3 million to be allocated to players on the top-three teams at each tournament.

In theory, the prizes of $1 million, $800,000 and $500,000 could be given to the leading player on the corresponding team's roster, but LIV noted that “captains can allocate to their team players as they wish,” so there is no way of knowing for sure.

Meanwhile, in the team element, Dustin Johnson's 4Aces joined Rahm as a winner this week - largely thanks to the two Belgian Thomases. 4Aces cumulatively shot 58-under to win by six shots, with Johnson finished T24th and Anthony Kim in T31st.

Below is the full prize money breakdown for every player and team at LIV Golf Hong Kong 2026.

LIV GOLF HONG KONG INDIVIDUAL PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN

LIV GOLF HONG KONG TEAM PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN

LIV GOLF HONG KONG TEAM/INDIVIDUAL BONUS

Rory McIlroy says it's a shame Jon Rahm refused to accept the "pretty generous" deal offered to him by the DP World Tour, but insists the Ryder Cup is "bigger than any one person".

Eight players including Rahm's LIV Golf teammates Tyrrell Hatton and Tom McKibbin signed the deal to restore DP World Tour membership - which included paying all fines, dropping their appeals and playing extra events specified by the Tour.

Rahm though refused to sign and accused the DP World Tour of "extorting" the players - saying his refusal was mainly down to being told to play six events rather than the usual minimum four needed for membership.

McIlroy doesn't agree though, and says compared to Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour the deal for the European players offered by the DP World Tour is a good one.

"In my opinion, it's a really generous deal," said McIlroy ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"It's a much softer deal than what Brooks took to come back and play on the PGA Tour. The European Tour can only do so much to accommodate these guys.

"Look, there's a reason eight of the nine guys took that deal, right. I think it's a really good deal. Obviously Jon doesn't think so, and he's obviously well within his rights to think that way.

"If you asked any DP World Tour member about the deal that they have cut with the LIV guys I think they would all say that it was pretty generous. So, and again, there's a reason that eight of the nine took it, because they probably think the same thing, and one guy thinks a little differently, and that's a shame.

"But I just don't see what more the European Tour can do to accommodate these guys to retain their membership."

Rahm should just play six events

Rahm said he would "sign tonight" if he only had to play four DP World Tour events and not six - and being told which two extra ones to play was the main sticking point with the Spaniard.

McIlroy argues playing two extra events "isn't a heavy lift" for Rahm, even if the Tour does have a say in what those two events are - likening it to being contracted to play all 14 events under his LIV Golf deal.

"But I mean, I'm sure Jon doesn't want to go to South Africa (for LIV Golf) next week, but he's going there," McIlroy added.

"He signed a contract for LIV and he plays 14 events and the whole thing. Like I get all that. But the DP World Tour is well within its rights to protect itself as a members organization and as a business."

Ryder Cup bigger than one player

As for perhaps the biggest ramification of the whole saga - the Ryder Cup - returning European captain Luke Donald would be loathed to be without Rahm for Adare Manor next year.

McIlroy and Rahm have traded opinion on this subject, with the Northern Irishman saying LIV golfers should be willing to do what it takes to get on the team - including paying their fines to resume DP World Tour membership.

Rahm's continued case put his eligibility in doubt as Donald looks for a third straight win as captain, but McIlroy insists the Ryder Cup is bigger than any one player.

"Look, the Ryder Cup is bigger than any one person," said McIlroy. "It's bigger than all of us. We come and go. Players are - we pass through the system. Like, it's the platform that's the big thing.

"I think we should all be grateful that we have a platform like the Ryder Cup that we can play on and that we can showcase our skills and be a part of something that's obviously way bigger than ourselves.

"So at the end of the day it's about the team and no one player is bigger than the team."

Luke Donald will be back to captain Team Europe for a third time when they head to Ireland next year for the Ryder Cup.

After leading Europe to two thrilling wins in a row, Donald will be looking to make it a hattrick at Adare Manor in 2027 to become the first captain to win three consecutive Ryder Cups.

Beyond addressing the obvious in his latest press conference, including his reasons for taking on the role once more, Donald also faced questions about Jon Rahm's current status ahead of the next Ryder Cup.

Over the past few days, Rahm has rejected the DP World Tour's deal to put an end to his fines and insists he is not willing to play the six events they are demanding of him.

That decision could harm Rahm's chances of playing in the Ryder Cup. Someone is going to have to give in, but for Donald, it's not an issue he's tackling just yet.

Speaking to the press after confirming he will retain his captaincy, Donald was asked whether he has spoken to Rahm about the issue.

He replied: "Well, first day on the job, so I haven't talked to him yet but obviously I will talk to Jon. We have a great relationship, and he's been a tremendous teammate and player for me the last two Ryder Cups.

"It's great to see the clarity amongst the other players that have signed the conditional releases and understand that they are available.

"Obviously, I haven't talked to Jon so I don't really want to comment on that yet. I know he has his own reasons. But I look forward to catching up with him and really hope that he's available.

"There's plenty of time... There's always challenges to overcome. So it's never a smooth road. There's always bumps in the road. Obviously my plan and my hope is that Jon is available for that team."

When quizzed further as to whether this matter had impacted his decision-making regarding the role, Donald played this down.

"That wasn't a factor in my decision. My decision was having the backing of players and the backing of my family, and the opportunity," he added.

Explaining why he agreed to the opportunity, Donald was clear about the motivations and how positive his experience has been with Team Europe.

He said: "The last two Ryder Cups have been an amazing focus and purpose for me and given me something to really get my teeth around.

"I've really enjoyed the experience of being captain. To have the opportunity to go a third time was something I couldn't say no to."

Donald also hinted that Edoardo Molinari will be by his side again for the match in Ireland next year, stating a "few conversations" have been had already but that nothing official is ready to be confirmed at this stage.

However, there is one thing Donald hopes is different next time around, and that's the way the crowd behaves. After last year's heated atmosphere at Bethpage, Donald expects a slightly more calm environment at Adare Manor.

"I'm fully expecting it to be very respectful. Passionate fans getting behind Team Europe. I've spent a lot of time playing Irish Opens… obviously The K Club at the Ryder Cup in 2006. Just electric atmospheres where it's a really feel-good crowd," he said.

"They love their golf. They love the hospitality. They are very hospitable in terms of welcoming people, and I expect the matches to be played in a very respectful and classy way. That will certainly be my messaging to them."

The eight LIV Golf stars who were stranded in Dubai ahead of the upcoming event in Hong Kong are reportedly clear of the danger zone now.

The group, which includes Lee Westwood, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Sam Horsfield, Anirban Lahiri, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk and Caleb Surratt, were practicing in the Middle East over the past week in preparation for the latest LIV Golf event.

When the USA and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, multiple zones in the region were put on lockdown, with airport closures impacting many people in Dubai and other Middle Eastern countries.

Flushing It Golf was the first to report on the situation involving the LIV players on Tuesday afternoon, posting an update on Twitter/X.

Surratt had confirmed to the Golf Channel on Tuesday that he was indeed stranded after heading to Dubai from Australia but that he was hoping a plan was in place to resolve the matter within "the next 12 hours".

All the players had flights booked, but had thus far been unable to leave Dubai. But now, it appears the situation has been resolved.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, reports circulated that the golfers had found a way to fly to Hong Kong in time for the event.

Then, later in the day, Adrian Meronk himself confirmed via Twitter/X that he had touched down in Hong Kong, sharing a photo from the course with a bucket of balls and a club in his hand.

He posted with the caption: "Safely made it to Hong Kong, thank you everyone that helped to reach and thank you for your messages and concerns. Stay safe everyone in UAE and I hope I can home soon."

There has been no official confirmation yet on the status of the other players, and it is not clear exactly how Meronk made it to Hong Kong. But, according to GOLF.com Editor Alan Bastable, Jon Rahm may have been at the heart of the rescue mission.

Bastable also shared an update on social media, writing: "Just learned the LIV players stranded in the Middle East have arrived safely in Hong Kong on a private jet commissioned by their LIV stablemate Jon Rahm."

He added that the source who gave him that information had asked to remain anonymous but was "close to the situation."

Meanwhile, further information came from the South China Morning Post, with a report there claiming updates had intentionally been kept to a minimum over the past 24 hours in order to protect those fleeing Dubai.

That report also states Rahm was involved in helping get the golfers out of Oman, after they managed to get a bus across the border from Dubai. A source there described “a coordinated effort between the league and the teams” to resolve the situation.

Golf Monthly has contacted LIV Golf for comment.

We know Jon Rahm is unhappy with the nature of the deal put forward by the DP World Tour, but just how much impact would it have on him to play six events per year?

Earlier this year, the DP World Tour made an agreement with eight LIV players to allow them to take part in conflicting events on the breakaway tour. Those players, including Tyrrell Hatton, have now paid their fines, but Rahm has not.

The Spaniard has spoken candidly about his reasons for that this week. Rahm says he will not play six DP World Tour events, insisting he should only have to participate in four as previously agreed.

But, with Rahm's Ryder Cup place at risk, is this really a hill worth dying on? And how much extra golf would he actually have to play if he did meet the six-event demand?

Here's a look at how involved Rahm has been on the circuit in the past five years.

2025

Last season, Rahm played just three DP World Tour events. Golfers must play four events (excluding the Majors) to keep their membership, but playing in the Ryder Cup topped up his quota.

He started the year with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, where he actually missed the cut. After playing all the Majors, Rahm then attended the BMW PGA Championship, and ended up tied for 13th. He rounded off his year with the Spanish Open, an event he plays every year, but could only manage a tie for 9th in his home nation.

2024

Again, Rahm only played three DP World Tour Events in 2024, but was able to retain his membership thanks to his involvement in the Olympics.

Rahm performed far better this year when playing across Europe. He came second in the Spanish Open, losing to Ángel Hidalgo in a playoff.

He then added another two events in quick succession, taking part in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and coming T7th, before playing the Andalucia Masters two weeks later and finishing 6th.

2023

To be fair to Rahm, even before he joined LIV he was not the most active on the DP World Tour. In 2023, he still only played three events. It was the World Golf Championships that saved his membership card this time.

Again, towards the end of the year, Rahm jumped into DP World Tour action and ticked the relevant boxes. He played the BMW PGA Championship and came 4th, before a T9 finish at the Spanish Open, and a T5 finish at the DP World Tour Championship.

2022

In 2022, Rahm actually played the minimum four events on the DP World Tour. He even picked up a couple of wins, too.

A disappointing T55 placing at the Genesis Scottish Open was not a great start, but Rahm bounced back with a tie for second at the BMW PGA, and wins at the Spanish Open and the DP World Tour Championship.

2021

Just the three events for Rahm in 2021, though. He also took part in a World Golf Championship this year, which helped his cause.

However, it wasn't the best year on the DP World Tour for Rahm. He finished 7th at the Scottish Open, but could only manage a tie for 17th at the Spanish Open and then proceeded to miss the cut at the Andalucia Masters.

Should Jon Rahm play six DP World Tour events?

One thing is clear from looking at Jon Rahm's recent involvement on the DP World Tour: playing six events would be a big ask for him.

He's only played four at most since rising to prominence, so it is understandable he is not keen on adding another two while also competing in the LIV Golf League and the Majors.

Rahm should probably pay his fines to the DP World Tour, and he's even said he's happy to do so. But, the six events is the sticking point, and it remains to be seen who will back down first, if anyone.

Jon Rahm has had plenty to say about the situation regarding his return, or lack thereof, to the DP World Tour, including a response to Rory McIlroy's thoughts on the matter.

When Rahm left the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf League, he shocked the world of golf. He has since incurred some pretty hefty fines with the DP World Tour and put his Ryder Cup career at risk.

As things stand, Rahm currently has an appeal over fines and sanctions with the DP World Tour. Eight LIV players agreed a deal with the circuit last month, on the proviso they pay their own fines.

However, Rahm refuses to agree to the DP World Tour deal, and is standing firm on that front.

If he maintains that position, there is even a chance that Rahm will not be allowed to join Team Europe for the Ryder Cup next year. Tyrrell Hatton was also in a similar situation, but having paid his fine, it's now just Rahm who is opposing the agreement.

For context, back in Jauary, Rory McIlroy quite openly suggested Rahm and Hatton should pay their fines, especially in light of the way European golfers criticized their American counterparts for demanding payment to play in last year's Ryder Cup.

McIlroy said: "We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play. We also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There's two guys that can prove it."

When asked about those comments in his latest press conference, Rahm replied: "I think I responded to that a few weeks ago and I said, that statement would make a lot more sense if all 12 of us were being asked to pay, not only just the two of us.

"There's more intricacy that goes into this whole situation, right. While I understand why he's saying that, we all do it for the love of the game, it's a different situation than what we usually see.

"I'll gladly pay my way to go on the Ryder Cup, not have to pay to still be a member of the DP World Tour and fulfill a commitment that I'm fully willing to commit."

Rahm has insisted he is happy to commit to playing four DP World Tour events, but is not willing to add the six events to his schedule the circuit is now trying to demand of him.

So, it seems the reported $3m fine is not the issue, but more the parameters of the agreement.

This is not the first time we've heard the Spaniard calling out what he deems unfair circumstances. Rahm was previously critical of LIV Golf's OWGR points and suggested golfers on the breakaway tour should be rewarded better for their success.

Clearly, though, no one can question his commitment to playing in the Ryder Cup. For Team Europe's sake, hopefully this whole situation can be resolved before the golfers head to Ireland to defend their crown.

LIV Golf's Jon Rahm has explained exactly why he rejected a deal from the DP World Tour which would have granted him a conditional release for the 2026 season.

Last month, the European circuit granted conditional releases to eight members of the tour who also belong to LIV - including Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin and David Puig - after each agreed to the terms of an offer.

Among the conditions which had to be met included payment of fines of all outstanding fines for breaches of the DP World Tour’s Regulations, as well as participation in additional stipulated DP World Tour tournaments and withdrawal of all pending appeals.

However, Rahm's name was conspicuous by its absence when the announcement was made and many wondered why he was the only notable name to turn down the offer.

Speaking ahead of LIV Golf Hong Kong, Rahm went into great detail when explaining his reasons.

The two-time Major winner said: "I don't like what they're doing currently with the contract they're having us sign. I don't like the conditions.

"They're asking me to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate where two of those have to be, amongst other things that I don't agree with.

"If we just go based on that... I've been a dual member my whole career, PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Now with LIV Golf being accepted in the world rankings as part of the ecosystem, you could almost say a three-tour member, even though I'm suspended from the PGA Tour.

"But I've always been a dual member. 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 their problem?"

Rahm's fines from the DP World Tour began in the 2024 season, once he had joined LIV Golf, and have only grown in number since. His total bill from the Wentworth-based circuit is believed to total around $3 million.

The 31-year-old has always rejected the notion of settling the financial penalties and even went as far as revealing that the DP World Tour asked him to appeal the fines in 2024 so that it could formulate an agreeable plan moving forward.

Rahm continued: "Given also the fact that two years ago I was asked to appeal the fines so they could figure this out and sort it out, and I did, and we're running into more problems right now.

"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 be dictated what we do. Especially myself. I can't speak for others; only myself.

"I've always committed to play the minimum requirement, and I think I've played four events, including the Spanish Open, every year except one as a pro, and I commit to do that. That's not going to change. I still fully intend to do that.

"Now, with the LIV and the major schedule I don't think I'm going to be able to do so until our playoffs or our last events are done. But given on the back nine, right, we have the Omega Masters, I believe, Irish Open, Wentworth, French, Dunhill, Spain.

"Out of those events, I would love to play my four in there given I'm going to the Spanish Open, three of those I am going to play, and I fully intend to play three of those. I would love to."

Towards the end of a lengthy and impassioned monologue in his pre-tournament press conference at Hong Kong Golf Club, Rahm accused the DP World Tour of playing a game and "extorting" certain players involved in the situation.

The 10-time DP World Tour winner admitted his issue is not with the fines or the appeals, it is simply with the number of tournaments he is being asked to play.

Rahm said that if the number of required events was reduced by two, he would "sign tonight."

He said: "I don't know what game they're trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they're using us to -- they're using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer.

"And it's just in a way they're extorting players like myself 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.

"Now, I did tell them, funny enough, lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I'll sign tonight. They haven't agreed to that. I just refuse to play six events. I don't want to, and that's not what the rules say."

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's tour experts to share their honest opinions on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, it's all about Jon Rahm.

In the recent news that the DP World Tour had given eight players conditional releases to play in conflicting LIV Golf tournaments during the 2026 season, Jon Rahm's name was conspicuous by its absence.

Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig, Elvis Smylie and even Tyrrell Hatton were all included in the list of players who had agreed to the various conditions set out by the European circuit dictating their relative freedom this term. But no Rahm.

The key conditions which the DP World Tour insisted the group agreed to included paying all outstanding fines for previous DPWT breaches in full, playing in additional stipulated DP World Tour events and withdrawing all pending appeals.

While a minor restriction on their schedule in the short-term and a tough hit on their bank balance were among the clear drawbacks to the offering, the upsides of the deal appeared plentiful and convincing.

For a start, they would not being fined for competing in the big-money league - a ruling which was upheld by an arbitration panel in 2023 - and each European pro would have a chance to freely qualify for the Ryder Cup from September without the concern that they may be prevented from doing so.

Nevertheless, Rahm was not for moving and stayed true to his word about having "no intention" of settling the fines - which are believed to be roughly $3 million at this stage.

Part of the reason for this is because Rahm stated he would not have played in the DP World Tour's conflicting events anyway. Going back through the schedules since the start of 2024, with the exception of a few events, he may have a point.

The other significant factor is that Rahm doesn't feel he should be penalized for playing in LIV events in the same week there was no DP World Tour event scheduled. Also fair enough.

The Spaniard has suggested he would be happy to pay off a percentage of the penalty but appears to feel the full amount is beyond the pale. He has, therefore, opted to ask that all of his fines are cleared.

The unfortunate truth for Rahm is that it doesn't look as though he will have his way in the end. And should that happen, he could well lose his DP World Tour status for good and - with it - his chances of ever playing in the Ryder Cup again.

So, the question now is, should Rahm swallow his pride and have the fines settled or should he continue to stand up for what he believes is right - even if the situation becomes tougher?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below. In the meantime, our tour experts have had their say.

I will caveat this response by saying I have no inside information on the discussions that have taken place between Rahm and the DP World Tour, but yes, I think he should have swallowed his pride and paid off his fines.

It's not as if he's short of money - he was paid several hundred million dollars to make the move, so he's not struggling financially.

Perhaps he's being stubborn and feels someone of his stature shouldn't have to pay fines to compete on a tour he's been loyal to, but he was aware of the repercussions of moving to the Saudi-backed circuit and still decided to do it.

If you're not a member of the DP World Tour, you're not able to play in the Ryder Cup, so I suppose this shows how much the tournament really means to him.

He now has three children, so perhaps he's fine playing on LIV and in the Majors and isn't looking to fill his time with extra tournaments, but it does feel like a decision he may come to regret.

However, I'd be stunned if he didn't turn out for Team Europe at Adare Manor, so I'd anticipate more twists in this protracted saga.

My view has always been that Rahm should pay his fines, but it feels like he believes he is above the rules and awaits an exception to be made in order to keep him on the Ryder Cup team.

To be honest, I think that will probably happen. He knows the DP World Tour wants him to be a member and play in its biggest events as well as the Spanish Open, but refusing to pay shows a lack of respect to the DP World Tour and perhaps an underestimation of how important it is.

It is not the best or most lucrative circuit in the world but it is a historic and important tour with a wonderful legacy, and remaining a member is the only way he can play in the Ryder Cup.

If he loses his appeal and still refuses to pay up, the tour is well within its rights to crack on without him at Adare Manor, which would be a huge shame and damaging to Rahm’s legacy.

I think Rory McIlroy was right when he said Rahm and Hatton have the chance to prove they would pay to play for Europe. Just pay up, he can make the money back and more in a single week on LIV Golf.

There is clearly more to this story than meets the eye and I would imagine and hope that things get sorted out fairly soon, as I, along with all other golf fans I’m sure, am bored of hearing about the off-course politics.

There's so many different ways of looking at this, but with the Ryder Cup in mind and Rahm's eligibility to play in it, I think the Spaniard should pay the fines imposed by the DP World Tour.

We've spent however long reporting on the Americans and the fact that they want to be paid for playing in the event, so it just shows the error of their ways if Rahm does pay up.

Yes, Rahm is a big player who does still move the needle, despite his winless run from the end of 2024. However, no one player is bigger than the professional tours and, with his refusal to pay the fines, it does give off a sense of entitlement.

Obviously, I don't know the full details between Rahm and the DP World Tour, but players knew that, if they went to LIV, they would be fined and potentially risk losing their memberships.

Given that Hatton has accepted the charges and, in doing so, has remained eligible for the Ryder Cup, it seems that Rahm is testing the Tour's resolve. If he loses his case, which reportedly he will, then he will need to cough up the money anyway to remain a member.

Personally, I see him teeing it up in 2027 at Adare Manor, but there's still 18 months left to go until that happens. What occurs between now and then is anyone's guess, but to clear the air and wipe the slate clean, I think the person with a reported net worth of nearly a quarter of a billion should be alright finding a measly $3 million fine...

I completely understand Rahm's position is all of this and, to a certain extent, I do have a bit of sympathy for him because sections of his defence are perfectly valid.

However, he knew the risks when he joined LIV and he possibly felt that because of his status in the game, the rules wouldn't exactly apply to him and he could even draw the game back together. Unfortunately for Rahm, neither of those things have turned out to be true.

Either way, a lot of the talk in regard to Rahm paying his fines relates to the amount of money he has racked up and how easy it would be for him (or the PIF) to pay it. For me, that's a moot point. It doesn't matter whether he's been fined $1 or $1 billion, this whole scenario is about sending a message.

The DP World Tour is saying players can't expect to pick and choose when being a member suits them. Pros can choose their schedules within the European circuit's offering, but they can't swan in and out whenever they feel like it. If they do, that's a fine.

It has been legally decided that this will be the case for anyone, no matter their status. Really, the question ought not to be: 'Should Jon Rahm pay his fines?' He obviously isn't going to with the way the situation currently sits. Ideally, the question ought to be: 'Should the DP World Tour stand firm no matter what?'

I think they should. Rahm apparently isn't playing ball because he thinks he's bigger than the tour. If that's the case, say goodbye to ever playing for Team Europe again.

Personally, I would rather lose to Team USA with a group of players who wholeheartedly believe in the tour that helped make them and shape them over a group of more talented individuals who put themselves first.

If the European Tour group feels likewise, this is the time to prove it. For Jon Rahm, he needs to decide which is more important to him - money or legacy.

Ever since LIV Golf’s inception, a big question mark has hung over the Ryder Cup eligibility of its European players.

That became clearer in April 2023, when it was confirmed that the DP World Tour had won an arbitration hearing against a number of its members who play on LIV Golf.

That gave the DP World Tour the go-ahead to sanction members who breached the circuit’s conflicting tournament release regulation.

It meant that, for LIV Golfers to remain eligible for the European Ryder Cup team, they must not only be a DP World Tour member, but also pay any fines imposed on them for their LIV Golf participation.

In that year’s match at Marco Simone, the issue was put on hold because no LIV Golfer qualified automatically for the team, while captain Luke Donald opted not to choose any as his wildcards.

At the time, one of Team Europe’s key players, Jon Rahm, hadn’t joined LIV Golf, meaning his name wasn’t even in the equation as a potential stumbling block down the line.

That all changed in December 2023, when Rahm joined the circuit, and very quickly, the question of what it meant for his Ryder Cup future came to the fore.

Rahm, who has retained his DP World Tour membership, has always insisted he will not pay the fines, thought to be around $3m.

However, he was still able to compete in the Bethpage Black match in 2025 because his appeal against his fines, which he lodged a year earlier, had not been heard. The same situation applied to Rahm’s LIV Golf teammate, Tyrrell Hatton.

Further clarity for LIV Golfers came with the DP World Tour’s announcement that it had given eight players, including Hatton, conditional releases, allowing them to play in conflicting tournaments on LIV Golf during the 2026 season.

The conditions include payment of all outstanding fines for breaches of the DP World Tour’s regulations, as well as participation in additional stipulated DP World Tour tournaments and withdrawal of all pending appeals.

Hatton is one of the eight players named, along with Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie, but Rahm’s name was conspicuous by its absence.

So, what does it mean for Rahm’s chances of playing in the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor, and his Ryder Cup future beyond that?

That short answer is that it remains in serious doubt. The longer answer appears to rest on the outcome of his appeal hearing against the fines.

So, when will the appeal hearing, which will be conducted by a third-party arbiter, take place? There’s still no confirmation of a date, well over a year after Rahm filed his appeal.

Until it happens, Rahm’s future is as clear as it was in the build-up to the 2025 Ryder Cup: he remains eligible for selection pending the outcome of the appeal.

If Rahm wins the appeal, his eligibility would remain, but if he loses it, the unthinkable – a Team Europe without Rahm in 2027 – would become a very real possibility.

The problem for Rahm is that the arbitration panel is expected to uphold the DP World Tour’s right to impose sanctions on members who play for LIV Golf, particularly in light of the 2023 ruling. If that happens, the stark reality is that he will face suspension from the Ryder Cup.

At the Dubai Desert Classic in January, Rahm’s Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy called on Hatton to pay their fines.

He said: “We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There's two guys that can prove it.”

Given the list of names in the DP World Tour’s release, it seems Hatton agrees. However, where Rahm is concerned, the impasse appears as wide as ever.

Individual LIV Golf champion Jon Rahm welcomed the awarding of Official World Golf Ranking points, but says they have not gone far enough.

The Spaniard, who finished top of the standings in 2024 and 2025, is unhappy that only the top 10 finishers at each LIV Golf event will be awarded OWGR points.

A LIV Golf statement issued after the announcement was scathing in its criticism of the OWGR for not going far enough in the awarding of points.

Despite LIV Golf's opening event in Riyadh being rated lower than the DP World Tour's Qatar Masters this week, the winner in Saudi Arabia will get more OWGR points (23-20.9).

But with only 10 players receiving points, LIV said it "disproportionately harms" players finishing just outside those spots in the 57-man events.

"As well as emerging talent working to establish themselves on the world stage - precisely the players a fair and meritocratic ranking system is designed to recognize," LIV Golf added.

And Rahm agrees with that stance, saying he was unhappy that LIV was being treated differently to other tours around the world.

“Yeah, it's fantastic that we're getting points," said Rahm during the first round in Riyadh. "It's fantastic that we're being recognised in a way.

“With that said, I don't like how we're not being treated the same as every other tour. It seems like the rules that have been in place aren’t really applied to us, with only 10 of us getting points. It doesn't seem fair."

Do you agree with Jon Rahm’s comments that the OWGR’s decision ‘doesn’t seem fair’? Let us know by joining the conversation below..

Rahm cited other small field events, possibly referring to the likes of the Hero World Challenge and certain Signature Events on the PGA Tour that have smaller fields but a wider points distribution.

The two-time Major champion wants more points to be awarded, but is at least thankful that the ball is rolling with the OWGR breakthrough.

"There are small fields out there throughout the course of the year that get full points," Rahm added.

“While it's good for some people. It could cost some players to actually lose world ranking points, instead of gain them. Because finishing in 11th is basically a missed cut and we're already adding to the devisor.

“But I'm thankful that LIV golf got their foot on the door, and there's a possibility for us to walk in the room and be recognised as a tour, as we should be.”

For its part, the OWGR said the team tour did not meet certain aspects in its criteria including field size, no-cut events and pathways - so it remains to be seen if any future LIV changes will be made.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton's DP World Tour appeals over fines and sanctions continue to roll on without a hearing date, but a recent report states a deal could be on the horizon.

The Ryder Cup pair have racked up large fines with the European circuit for playing in LIV Golf tournaments without conflicting event releases, and neither man has paid up yet despite Rory McIlroy calling for them to.

A report from Flushing It Golf on X citing multiple sources stated a deal could be in place for the DP World Tour to drop fines for Rahm, Hatton and other LIV Golf players who have memberships including Adrian Meronk, Tom McKibbin and David Puig.

"Multiple sources indicate that the DP World Tour will drop fines for members playing on the LIV Golf League for this season," Flushing It Golf said on X.

"All existing fines up until the end of 2025 will need to be settled, but releases will be granted to all members who apply for competing LIV Golf League events in 2026.

"In addition, the DP World Tour has the right to nominate events players must commit to."

The DP World Tour remains coy on the subject, telling Sports Illustrated it continues having "dialogue with individual members involved to explore and discuss options.”

Both Rahm and Hatton are in Riyadh this week for the opening event of the 2026 LIV Golf season, where they discussed the potential of a deal with the DP World Tour to keep their memberships active and remain eligible for the Ryder Cup.

Rahm didn't say much but did admit to media in Saudi Arabia that the DP World Tour was going to players 'individually' to make deals and called it a benefit for him, Hatton and the DP World Tour.

"I personally would say I don't know too much about the matter," Rahm said.

"Obviously I think at first, managers are going to be taking care of that early on.

"I don't know what the negotiations look like. Obviously they're going to players individually to make different deals.

"I don't know what it may be or what it's going to look like but I'm happy to see that looking for a path forward for LIV players to be able to play on both tours and not to get penalized.

"I think the example of players like Tom [McKibbin] or David Puig, who's now a winner on the European Tour, who just chose the best path possible as young players, shouldn't be penalized because of the politics of the game.

"The fact that they're looking at a positive way to figure it out, I think it's only good for us, and I think it's good for the DP World Tour, as well."

Hatton had less to say but also said a deal would be positive.

"Not much more to add than what he's just said. It sounds positive, so if things are moving in the right direction, that's good for golf," the Englishman said.

"Yeah, we'll let other people figure that out, and we'll just focus on playing golf this week."

Jon Rahm makes his first appearance since the Spanish Open in October this week, having had over three months off. He begins the season as World No.97 after sliding down the Official World Golf Ranking since joining LIV, although reports continue to state the league could be close to gaining points.

The two-time Major winner has won LIV's individual title in each of his two seasons in the league, pipping Joaquin Niemann to the season-long trophy both times.

LIV Golf Riyadh gets underway on Wednesday, with LIV debuting its new 72-hole format.

Lee Westwood says the DP World Tour should set an appeal date for mid February for LIV Golf players Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

The pair, who have 18 DP Tour titles between them, are currently able to compete on the European circuit after appealing their fines and sanctions for playing in LIV events without conflicting event releases, with a date for the appeal to be settled currently unknown.

On the eve of the Dubai Desert Classic, Rory McIlroy called on the players to pay their DP World Tour fines to remain eligible for the European Ryder Cup team.

Westwood revealed in 2024 that he has outstanding fines of over $1 million for competing in LIV while still a DP World Tour member - and he insisted he will not pay them.

Taking to X, Westwood said McIlroy was "correct", and added: "The DP World Tour should set Jon and Tyrell's [Tyrrell's] appeal date for Mid February. Then nobody can have any complaints.

"Everyone will have been treated the same. If they lose their appeal they either have to pay the fines and can carry on or not pay the fines and resign and not be available for Ryder Cup. Then it will get interesting!!!"

The DP World Tour is expected to come out on top in the appeal after winning an arbitration panel hearing against LIV players in 2023, which confirmed it was allowed to impose sanctions on its members for playing in competing events on LIV.

Rahm, who recently told the Subpar Podcast that his fines are around $3m, has maintained he will not pay them, which reportedly will not be settled by LIV Golf anymore after Sergio Garcia and reportedly others too had theirs paid by the PIF-backed circuit.

Patrick Reed is also facing fines and sanctions, but he confirmed this week to The Telegraph and Golf Digest that he will be paying them in order to continue playing on the DP World Tour.

Rahm and Hatton face the possibility of not being able to compete in the biennial contest, so McIlroy said they should pay the fines after agreeing to the terms when they joined the Tour.

"Absolutely," McIlroy said when asked whether it would just be easier for the LIV pair to pay up.

"Main thing is, look, this is my opinion. We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There's two guys that can prove it."

Hatton, who is playing the Dubai Desert Classic this week, was subsequently asked about his Ryder Cup teammate's comments.

"To be honest I don't have an update to give," Hatton said.

"It's still with legal teams and there's guys that are still in conversations working it all out.

"So I haven't put any more thought into that. Like I don't really know what's happening. So, yeah, I'm just here to play golf as always."

McIlroy also said the pair would have agreed to the Tour's terms before joining LIV and doesn't see anything wrong with the circuit imposing sanctions.

"I think any organization or any members' organisation like this has a right to uphold its rules and regulations," he said.

"And what the DP World Tour are doing is upholding their rules and regulations and we, as members, sign a document at the start of every year, which has you agree to these rules and regulations, and the people that made the option to go to LIV knew what they were.

"So I don't see what's wrong with that, I guess, is my opinion."

Rory McIlroy has called on Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton to pay their DP World Tour fines to remain eligible for the European Ryder Cup team.

The LIV Golf pair are currently able to play on the European circuit after appealing their fines and sanctions for playing in LIV events without conflicting event releases, with a date for the appeal to be settled currently unknown.

The DP World Tour is expected to win the appeal after winning an arbitration panel hearing against LIV Golfers in 2023, which confirmed it was allowed to impose sanctions on its members for playing in competing events on LIV.

Jon Rahm has maintained he will not pay his fines, which reportedly will not be paid by LIV Golf anymore after Sergio Garcia and possibly others too had theirs paid by the PIF-backed circuit.

Patrick Reed is another player to be facing fines and sanctions, and he confirmed this week to The Telegraph and Golf Digest that he will be paying them to continue playing on the European Tour.

Lee Westwood revealed he had outstanding DP World Tour fines of over $1m in 2024, while Garcia's were believed to be in excess of $1m as well.

Rahm recently told the Subpar Podcast that his fines are around $3m.

The futures of Rahm and Hatton in the Ryder Cup appear to be in at least some kind of doubt, so McIlroy says they should pay the fines after agreeing to the terms when they joined the tour.

"Absolutely," McIlroy said in answer to whether it would just be easier for the LIV pair to pay up.

"Main thing is, look, this is my opinion. We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There's two guys that can prove it.

"Great. I think that's -- yeah," he stopped.

Tyrrell Hatton was then asked about McIlroy's comments following his pro-am round, and he said he doesn't "really have anything to add towards what he said."

"To be honest I don't have an update to give," Hatton said on the appeal.

"It's still with legal teams and there's guys that are still in conversations working it all out. So I haven't put any more thought into that. Like I don't really know what's happening. So, yeah, I'm just here to play golf as always."

McIlroy says the pair would have agreed to the tour's terms before leaving for LIV Golf and doesn't see anything wrong with the circuit imposing sanctions.

"I think any organization or any members' organisation like this has a right to uphold its rules and regulations," he said.

"And what the DP World Tour are doing is upholding their rules and regulations and we, as members, sign a document at the start of every year, which has you agree to these rules and regulations, and the people that made the option to go to LIV knew what they were.

"So I don't see what's wrong with that, I guess, is my opinion."

Speaking ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic, the five-time Major winner also reiterated his opinion that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf will not be reuniting any time soon because neither side will be able to make enough compromises.

"I just don't see a world where it can happen at this point," he told media.

"Just I don't see a world where the two or three sides or whoever it is will give up enough.

"Like for reunification to happen, every side is going to feel like they will have lost, where you really want every side to feel like they have won.

"I think they are just too far apart for that to happen."

While plenty changed (or remained frustratingly stagnant) in the world of golf during 2025, there continued to be an extraordinary amount of money on offer to those fighting it out at the top of the professional game.

The PGA Tour shared out over half a billion dollars in prize money while the LIV Golf League put up more than $260 million across its much shorter season.

Meanwhile, the LPGA Tour offered a record amount of prize money last year at more than $132 million. And yet, according to data from Sportico, not only did no female golfers make the top-100 highest-paid athletes last year, no female from any sport earned enough to be included.

The top-100 highest-paid athletes in the world during 2025 earned an estimated $6 billion in income and competed in just eight different sports - golf being one of them.

World soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo led the way with an incredible $260 million while the 100th-ranked athlete - British NBA talent OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks - banked a healthy $37.9 million in 2025. In between were six golfers, three fewer than in 2024.

Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton and Collin Morikawa all scooped between $55m-$43m last year, but their income dipped considerably over the following 12 months and they were no longer on the list.

Of the remaining six, a couple of golfers have swapped in terms of the order while most have changed positions in terms of the top-100.

Leading the way for golf in 2025 was Jon Rahm. Per Sportico, the Spaniard earned an eye-watering $84.7 million before adding $16 million in endorsements to reach a grand total of $100.7 million.

According to the sports business title, many of the top LIV golfers received around half of their bonus payment for signing up front and another portion when they played their first event.

The remaining part of the signing bonus is reportedly paid out during the life of the contract, hence the significant boost in Rahm's earnings after the total prize money he claimed in 2025.

The Legion XIII captain - who failed to win a tournament during this time but still claimed LIV Golf's individual championship - earned around $4 million less than in 2024 but stayed in 10th position, just as he was last year.

Then came Rory McIlroy with a total income of $91.2 million, helped considerably by his win at The Masters, his victory at The Players Championship and his success on the DP World Tour as well.

Despite collecting just over $36 million in prize money, the five-time Major winner was one of two golfers in the top-100 list to secure more through endorsements with a total of $55 million leaving him 14th in terms of highest-paid athletes.

Just two spots behind McIlroy was Scottie Scheffler. The World No.1 earned $50.9 million in 2025 and banked $32 million through endorsements to enjoy a total income of $82.9 million.

Bryson DeChambeau was the fourth and final golfer to fall inside the top-25, proving just how lucrative the sport is in the modern era.

The Crushers GC captain scooped $42.7 million via salary and winnings while adding on a further $20 million and sitting 23rd in the top-100.

The final two pro golfers inside the top-100 highest-paid athletes for 2025 were Joaquin Niemann and unsurprisingly, Tiger Woods.

Niemann won five LIV Golf League titles to rack up an impressive $44.2 million in earnings but only banked $3 million in endorsements. That left him 63rd.

Meanwhile, Woods picked up less than $500,000 in earnings but - thanks to his status as arguably the greatest of all time - clinched $54 million in endorsements to put him 41st.

HIGHEST PAID GOLFERS 2025

Was 2025 a successful year for Jon Rahm or not? The answer is complicated.

The Spaniard played a key role in Team Europe winning the Ryder Cup once again and achieved strong results in three of the four Majors - with Rahm temporarily putting pressure on Scottie Scheffler at the PGA Championship late on Sunday.

In addition, he achieved top-10 finishes in 12 of the 13 LIV Golf League tournaments with his "worst" result turning out to be T11th in Dallas.

That helped Rahm scoop the LIV Golf Individual Championship as his Legion XIII roster clinch the Team Championship for a clean sweep.

However, the two-time Major champion failed to win a tournament outright in any of his 20 starts through 2025 and was beaten in a playoff at both LIV's Chicago and Indianapolis events.

In the aftermath of LIV Golf Indianapolis, where Rahm lost an overtime battle against Sebastian Munoz but still just about did enough to rip the season-long title out of Joaquin Niemann's hands, even the 30-year-old wasn't quite sure what to make of his campaign to that point.

He said: "To be able to win the season without actually winning a tournament, I know eventually I'll be proud of that. Right now it's slightly more something I'm going to suffer over a little bit more, and it may never be replicated.

"You need a lot of coincidences to go on exactly with the year Joaquin had. He's won five times; he's played incredible golf. One could argue he was probably the more deserving guy to win this.

"But we have the points system that we have, and somehow, I don't know how, I managed to pull through and get it done."

Despite the relative lack of silverware week-to-week, Rahm lifted the LIV Golf Individual Championship for the second season in a row and consequently banked the $18 million reward.

The title-winning figure was added on to his $2.25 million runner-up check, forming a $20.25 million prize that made up over 60% of his yearly total.

Much of the other 40% also came from LIV Golf, with roughly $11.4 million being banked via Rahm's highly impressive sequence of results.

A $1.875 million check in Riyadh to begin the year set Rahm off on the right foot before he scooped almost $2.3 million across the next four weeks prior to The Masters.

In the five LIV events between Augusta National and Royal Portrush, the 30-year-old collected a little more than $4.5 million for his work - a runner-up in Spain was the highlight of this stretch.

And to cap it all off, Rahm powered through the finishing tape courtesy of a T5th at LIV Golf UK and two big consolation checks in losing playoff quests.

All told, Rahm earned $31.6 million from LIV Golf in 2025. But his earnings did not end there.

A T14th at The Masters, a T8th at the PGA Championship, a T7th at the US Open and a relatively disappointing T34th at The Open Championship helped Rahm pick up an additional $1,635,210 from the Majors.

Then there were the three DP World Tour events to account for. But make that two as Rahm missed the cut at the Dubai Desert Classic. At the BMW PGA Championship and Open de España, Rahm earned in the region of $185,000.

In total, Rahm's on-course earnings in 2025 came out to $33,429,211 from 20 events. So, was his year successful? If we look at trophies won, it could be argued either way. But in relation to money earned, the answer in an emphatic yes.

JON RAHM RESULTS AND EARNINGS 2025

Jon Rahm has confirmed his 2025 campaign is now over and he will be taking several months off from competitive golf.

The Spaniard will end the year without an outright tournament victory from his 20 starts across the LIV Golf League, the DP World Tour and all four Majors, with a playoff defeat in Indianapolis the closest he came to week-to-week success.

It is the first full season since he turned pro in the summer of 2016 that Rahm has not lifted a trophy.

Despite that fact, Rahm did experience a few notable triumphs in the second half of the year.

He claimed the LIV Golf League's Individual Championship for the second season in a row thanks to 12 top-10 results in 13 starts and also landed the Team Championship with his Legion XIII squad. Then, in September, Rahm was a part of the victorious Team Europe at the Ryder Cup.

His final competitive appearance of 2025 arrived at the recent Open de España - won by England's Marco Penge - where Rahm finished T9th at Club de Camp Villa de Madrid.

The Barrika-born pro has won his national open three times before but failed to play consistently enough to challenge Penge and was forced to make do with a backdoor top-10.

Talking to Spanish reporters - including Ten Golf - afterwards, Rahm explained his decision to not play any more competitive golf this term: “I’ve never had three months off, but I’m looking forward to it. Other athletes have it, and we’ll see.

"The most emotional, the most special thing has been the Ryder Cup. The only week that has a chance of matching this Ryder Cup on an emotional level will be the Spanish Ryder Cup in 2031.

"It would be special, but as tough as the New York Ryder Cup was and ending up winning, I find it difficult for another week to match it.

"I’m lucky to be able to go home now, have a preseason, be a father, be with my family, and well, if I see that it’s too much, then maybe I won’t do it next year, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Rahm's decision to call time on his year with immediate effect will see him miss the sharp end of the DP World Tour season, with events in India and South Korea proceeding the two lucrative Playoff tournaments in the Middle East.

The 30-year-old currently stands 56th in the Race To Dubai and holds a reasonable chance of qualifying for the top-70 ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

However, he is unable to catch rankings leader Rory McIlroy who is among the big names set to compete in India this week and is pencilled in for both closing events in the Middle East.

And with his four-event quota to retain DP World Tour membership fulfilled, the two-time Major winner is free to take the extended period off without too many serious repercussions.

Similarly, Rahm played the Spanish Open, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Andalucia Masters last Fall before skipping the tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Unless circumstances change, Rahm's next competitive start should be LIV Golf Riyadh which is set for February 5-7, 2026.

In the meantime, the Spaniard will wait to hear more on news surrounding his appeal against sanctions imposed by the DP World Tour for playing in conflicting LIV Golf events.

Rahm and his Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton have both been subjected to considerable fines and modest suspensions since moving to the PIF-backed circuit almost two years ago.

However, their respective hearings - which are still to be conducted by an independent arbitration panel - were postponed until after the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

With the biennial team event now complete, it is possible that Rahm and Hatton may soon discover their fate in relation to the DP World Tour. Although, it is worth noting that nothing has been said at this stage.

There aren't quite 16 LIV Golfers in the field like at the Dunhill Links but there is once again a good number of players from the 54-hole circuit teeing it up on the DP World Tour this week.

The European Tour hosts the Spanish Open this time around where another star-studded field lines up, headlined by home favorite and three-time winner Jon Rahm who makes his first start since the Ryder Cup.

The PGA Tour suspended its members who left for LIV Golf but the DP World Tour players were allowed to retain their memberships while racking up fines and sanctions for playing in LIV events.

A number of its players, like Rahm, appealed their fines and sanctions and are currently able to play pending the appeal of the process, which has no current timeline.

With the LIV Golf League season concluding back in August, the DP World Tour is benefitting from the Saudi-backed tour's off-season by providing LIV Golfers a place to keep busy and earn world ranking points, and cash, before their season starts up again in February.

Rahm is one of seven LIV players teeing it up this week at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, with fellow Spaniards Sergio Garcia, Jose Luis Ballester and David Puig also set to tee it up in front of their home fans.

Rahm, who earned three points for Team Europe at the Ryder Cup, won this event in 2018, 2019 and 2022. He was runner-up last year after losing in a dramatic playoff to Angel Hidalgo - who is back to defend his title.

Sergio Garcia is also a past champion, having won in 2002.

Five-time LIV Golf winner in 2025 Joaquin Niemann is another of LIV's star names in the field this week, while Patrick Reed is playing in his eighth DP World Tour event of the year.

Tom McKibbin is also in the field following a strong debut campaign in the LIV Golf League for Jon Rahm's Legion XIII side.

Former LIV player Luis Masaveu is playing as well, with Masaveu briefly representing Sergio Garcia's Fireballs GC team before being replaced by Ballester.

Away from LIV Golfers, Shane Lowry is another star name in Madrid this week.

The Irishman, like all DP World Tour members, needs to play four events outside of the Majors to retain membership and he has only played in two tournaments so far this year after starting his season on the PGA Tour.

Lowry is playing in his fourth DP World Tour event of the season next week in the inaugural DP World India Championship, where he will be among the headline names alongside Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland.

Race to Dubai no.3, and no.4 Marco Penge and Kristoffer Reitan are among the other notables in what is a very strong field assembled in the Spanish capital this week.

Which LIV Golfers are playing in the Spanish Open?

• Jose Luis Ballester
• Sergio Garcia
• Tom McKibbin
• Joaquin Niemann
• David Puig
• Jon Rahm
• Patrick Reed

Jon Rahm has tipped fellow Spaniard, Sergio Garcia to become Team Europe's Ryder Cup captain when the biennial team competition arrives in their homeland six years from now.

On Tuesday, Camiral (formerly PGA Catalunya) was announced as the host course for the 2031 Ryder Cup where it will become just the second Spanish layout behind Valderrama to welcome the event.

Bethpage Black in New York is set to stage the most famous team golf competition later this year before Adare Manor in Ireland follows on in 2027. Hazeltine National has been confirmed for 2029.

Luke Donald will lead the Europeans in New York this September, but the chances of the Englishman remaining in post for a third consecutive Ryder Cup appear very slim.

With future captains such as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and possibly even a return for Henrik Stenson awaiting their turn should the complications involving the DP World Tour and Team Europe's leadership be cleared up, the men in blue and gold have plenty of options moving forward.

But Rahm - who hopes to continue his role as a mainstay on the playing side until at least 2031 - would love to see the Ryder Cup's record point-scorer be given the nod on home soil, just as Seve Ballesteros was afforded in 1997.

Asked whether Garcia is "made for that job in 2031" prior to LIV Golf UK, Rahm said: "Yeah, I think so. I think there's something to say about possibly having, obviously, a local captain. I think it would do wonders for the crowd.

"If history shows us anything, and it's very hard to compare anybody to Seve, but I've only heard stories about what that Ryder Cup was like. I would say, if possible, I think that's a very obvious good choice to have Sergio be a part of that one."

As it stands, DP World Tour regulations would have to change for Garcia to assume the captaincy role - despite the 45-year-old having recently paid over $1 million in fines for joining LIV Golf back in 2022.

Nevertheless, Rahm - who would be 36 at Camiral - hopes the landscape of men's professional golf has altered to such a state that all eligible Spaniards, no matter their home circuit, would be able to take part in the 2031 Ryder Cup.

He said: "Yeah, it would be absolutely incredible not only to continue Ryder Cups but to be a part of one and play in one at home. I don't think I can describe it. Both Paris and Rome were so incredibly special that to think of playing one in Spain, I really couldn't put it into words.

"Knowing that some things smoothed over in the world of golf, that Sergio could possibly be the captain of the Ryder Cup team, that also adds to it. I really don't know what to -- I wouldn't know how to feel. There's certainly some pressure that comes with it, but it truly would be a dream come true.

"I think there was only, that I can remember, four Spanish people that were involved in that Ryder Cup with Seve, Miguel [Angel Jiminez] was a vice captain, [Jose Maria Olazabal] playing and then Nacho Garrido playing as well. So only four people can say they have done that.

"I don't know how many players can ever say they've played a Ryder Cup in their home countries. Not many, besides the US team, obviously.

"But it would be unbelievable. I'm very happy that it's happening. I'm hoping that somehow or another I can be a part of it."

It was confirmed last week that LIV Golf submitted a new bid to the Official World Golf Ranking to become eligible for points.

It comes less than two years after its last approach was denied, but with a new CEO in charge, Scott O'Neil, there is every chance that the outcome could be different this time.

The American replaced Greg Norman at the helm of the rival tour at the start of the year and is hopeful a deal can be struck.

The OWGR board confirmed the news by saying in a statement: "The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) received an application from LIV Golf seeking inclusion in the OWGR system on [Monday] June 30, 2025, and the review process has commenced."

One player that will certainly be keen to see a deal struck is two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.

When discussing the recent application in his press conference prior to the final men's Major of the year this week at Royal Portrush, he said he was excited about the new bid and outlined two ways in which the tour could change in order to be successful this time around.

"Going through the right process is important, and I think Scott and all of us are looking forward to going through that process and getting it done the right way. We're excited for that," he told media in Northern Ireland.

"It's (LIV) moving in the right direction. We're commercializing. We've got some good partners aboard with us now. We'll see where it goes.

"We're excited to see with the new commissioner coming in and Scott and them being friends, I think there's something that can get done in a good way for the game of golf.

"I'm really excited for the future of the game. There's a lot of positive movement going on currently."

The American will be looking to win his third Major and first Open Championship this week at Royal Portrush, where his best result is T8 back in 2022.

The 31-year-old is enjoying another successful season, winning once on LIV this year - in Korea - and currently sits third in the individual standings.

When discussing what the breakaway Tour would have to do differently to gain OWGR status, he said: "I would say that there are definitely grounds upon which we can change some things.

"Definitely relegation for sure, more pathways into LIV. I think a global tour, more association to a global tour would be great for a feeder system into LIV.

"Those things, I think, could help quite a bit. Albeit I don't know the details, I think those are a few of the bigger points."

Regarding new players joining the Tour, he said: "I think it's big for us to have these players that are just jumping onboard still collect points. They are deserving of it.

"They're playing some incredible golf every week, and I think having a system in place for us as players would benefit the ecosystem of the game tremendously, especially for fans."

These are changes that we have outlined that LIV Golf could make in order to gain OWGR points, with stumbling blocks previously surrounding its promotion and relegation system, its lack of cuts and the team aspect.

Whether the Saudi-backed circuit will be successful this time around, only time will tell.

Another of the tour's biggest stars, Jon Rahm, believes that it's time for the circuit to be recognized and had some strong comments this past weekend at Valderrama.

"I think what you've seen this week is a good level of golf. It deserves points. How many? I don't know," he said.

"The excuse, or argument that many use, is that this is an exhibition. For me, that's false.

"And, whether you like it or not, whether it's a cut or not, whether they have three or four rounds or not, it's good competition. It's competition. And it deserves world ranking points.

"I hope it happens. I hope it doesn't take too long. Because I think there are good players here.

"There are good young players here who deserve the opportunity to qualify for the Majors.

"And let's hope that this is the beginning of more LIV players qualifying for the Majors directly because of how they play in the LIV.

"We've had Joaquín and Sergio. I think they've qualified for the Majors. Let's see if this is the beginning of much more.

"But I believe we have a high enough level of golf. And a high enough level of competition to earn world ranking points."

DeChambeau and Rahm both have the chance to earn ranking points this week by making the cut at Portrush, where they are among the 19 LIV Golfers in The Open field.

He's been singled out as the biggest favorite to win The Open from the bunch of LIV Golf contenders, and Jon Rahm admits he likes his chances as he loves playing links golf in Ireland.

Golf Channel duo Paul McGinley and Brandel Chamblee both earmarked Rahm as the top dog from LIV Golf's contingent playing at Royal Portrush, and he does have strong claims.

It'd be no surprise to see the Spanird lifting the Claret Jug given his results on links courses on the Emerald Isle - where Rahm came away wowed by Royal Portrush when playing there in the 2014 Amateur Championship.

As a professional, Rahm is a two-time Irish Open winner on links courses, adding the 2019 title at Lahinch to his 2017 victory at Portstewart - which is right next door to Portrush.

Rahm finished T11 when Shane Lowry won the 2019 Open at Portrush, and with Chamblee and McGinley both backing him for more Irish glory he says he just loves playing links golf there.

"I don't know what it is. I think every week I've had in Ireland has been such a wonderful experience," said Rahm at LIV Golf Andalucia.

"Whether it's the golf course, the tournament, the people, I don't know. I really couldn't tell you exactly what it is. But every time I've gone it's been overwhelmingly positive, so I think that's led to me playing good.

"Or simply the fact that the first time I ever went to Ireland, to Portstewart in Northern Ireland, I played so good that I just kind of carried on.

"But every experience I've had there has been great. The times we've gone, even if it's on time off with the family or tournaments, it's always been such a great one that whenever I go back, I think I feed off of that.

"When it comes to golf, I don't know if there's any secret to it, really."

Rahm also loves playing at Valderrama but admits a tournament on a links course, such as the Scottish Open, may be slightly better preparation for a tilt at The Open.

And he may get the chance in future as there is talk of moving LIV Golf Andalucia to a date in June, which would enable Rahm to get links practice in before The Open.

"Yeah, if it changes weeks on the calendar, the good thing about this part of the country is weather is so good, and they have the workforce here to have the golf course in championship condition whenever they want," said Rahm.

"As it goes to preparing for a Major, yeah, listen, it's hard to get ready for links golf unless you're in links golf, but luckily this is a challenging golf course so the mindset you can work on in that sense. It is always windy so you do get to play in the wind before going to the Open.

"It all depends on your preference. I do agree if you can play a links week before a links tournament it's going to be great.

"But it's whatever the league needs to do to play a better schedule, and if that means playing in June, I'll come to play in Spain whenever they want to. Whenever they can make it happen, I'll be here regardless."

As the saying goes, 'all good things must come to an end', and it is no different for LIV Golf's Jon Rahm.

The Spaniard has been one of the most consistent players in the PIF-backed circuit since the start of 2024, winning the Individual Championship title in his rookie season thanks to two victories and a decade of further top-10s from 12 completed events.

In 2025, it was much more of the same for Rahm as he opened up with a T2nd in Riyadh and then chained together seven more results of T9th or better.

However - disregarding his withdrawal from LIV Golf Houston in 2024 due to a foot injury - the two-time Major winner saw his run of 20 consecutive top-10s at tournaments he finished come to a sickening end in Dallas on Sunday.

Rahm began his week at Maridoe Golf Club with a brilliant round of 68 which featured four birdies, two bogeys and an eagle, leaving him in third on his own.

A frustrating even-par score on Saturday saw the Spaniard slip down the leaderboard slightly, though, as two birdies were cancelled out by a couple of bogeys on the back nine.

However, it was the 30-year-old's start to the third and final round which really cost him dear. Starting on the par-5 second and just inside the top-10, Rahm bogeyed his opening hole before moving to two-over at the par-4 fourth.

He recovered one stroke at the short par-4 sixth, but ended up giving that back at the par-4 ninth to help post 38 on his front side.

In particularly hot and dry conditions at Maridoe GC, scoring did not prove easy for most of the field and - as such - birdies were the exception as opposed to the norm. Nevertheless, Rahm found a vital one at the par-5 17th to nudge just inside the top-10.

However, plenty of movement in a bunched leaderboard around him meant the Arizona State University alumnus was never quite assured of maintaining his incredible record.

Going down the first hole (his 18th) knowing a birdie would guarantee his top-10 streak lived to fight another day, Rahm set up his chance via a hole-high approach into the 434-yard par-4.

Despite his putt tracking on line, Rahm's Callaway golf ball pumped the brakes a few inches short, causing the Legion XIII captain to shout "hit it!" before walking up to tap in for par.

Once all 54 players had finished and the dust had settled after a four-man playoff that was won by Patrick Reed, it was confirmed that Rahm and Anirban Lahiri had both finished on three-under and were tied for 11th.

While Rahm unequivocally saw his impressive streak evaporate in Dallas, he will at least have been consoled by the fact his earnings across the same 20-event period surpassed $41 million.

Rahm has collected roughly $6.5 million this season, adding on to his eye-watering earnings from 2024. And largely thanks to his $22 million pay check at LIV Golf Chicago last year, the former World No.1 is averaging just under $2 million per event since leaving the PGA Tour behind.

In addition to benefitting financially, the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters champion will have been buoyed by his performances at the Majors this year following a disappointing stretch last term.

Rahm missed the cut at the PGA Championship and failed to play the 2024 US Open due to his aforementioned injury. He ended T45th at The Masters but somewhat saved his year at the Majors with a T7th result in horrible conditions at The Open.

However, 2025 has been extremely impressive from the Spaniard, even if another title is yet to arrive. Rahm kicked off the current Major season with a T14th at Augusta National before contending at the PGA Championship, ultimately finishing T8th, and clinching T7th position at the US Open.

With his home LIV Golf event coming up before The 153rd Open Championship in just a matter of weeks, Rahm will hope to bounce back at Valderrama and Royal Portrush as he looks to restart another outstanding sequence of results.

Jon Rahm has made a big equipment change ahead of LIV Golf Dallas as he looks for a change in fortunes on the greens ahead of the Open Championship.

The Spaniard has made a switch in flat stick for LIV Golf Dallas, as he's brought back his Odyssey White Hot Rossie OG putter at Maridoe Golf this week.

It's the same model Rahm used when he won both of his Major championships - the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters.

Joaquin Niemann has also changed his putter for LIV Golf Dallas, as he's switched out of his old Ping PLD Anser for a new PLD Custom DS72.

Rahm has been in much improved form in the Majors this year, but a frustrating time on the greens at the US Open has prompted a change.

According to LIV Golf's stats Rahm tops the field in greens in regulation this season, but is T19 in putting having not managed to turn his approach play into a win so far.

And it was a similar story at Oakmont as Rahm managed to finish T7 in the US Open despite trailing down in 42nd in putting out of the 66 players that made the cut.

So with the final Major of the season approaching at Royal Portrush, Rahm has gone back to an old favorite to try and improve his fortunes on the greens.

A solid week of putting in Dallas would give Rahm the confidence he needs heading to the Open where he wants to add the Claret Jug to his CV.

LIV Golf Dallas equipment changes

Niemann would not seem a candidate for needing a change after winning four of the eight LIV Golf events played so far this year, but he too has made a switch in Dallas.

The Chilean lost 1.38 strokes on the putting greens and still managed to win in Virginia, so he'll hope his new flat stick can improve his stats in that department.

Further equipment changes in Dallas see Paul Casey changing golf balls and swapping the Titleist ProV1X 2025 for the Titleist ProV1 2017.

Branden Grace has moved from the Ping G440 Max 3-wood to a TaylorMade QI35, and Caleb Surratt has switched 5-woods from the TaylorMade QI10 to a Callaway Elyte.

Cameron Tringale had made the big change by swapping drivers, going from the Titleist GT3 to a Ping G440.

Jon Rahm looks to have his Major mojo back this year, and he hopes that a liking for Royal Portrush can help push him over the edge and claim The Open Championship.

Rahm went through a dodgy spell in the Majors after joining LIV Golf, but 2025 has seen him right back in the thick of things and challenging at the sharp end.

The Spaniard finished T14 at The Masters and T7 at the US Open either side of his best performance when only a late collapse cost him the chance to win the PGA Championship - finishing T8.

Rahm finished T11 in 2019 when the Open was last played at Royal Portrush - Shane Lowry taking home the Claret Jug on that occasion.

A two-time Irish Open winner, including at neighboring Portstewart, Rahm also enjoyed Portrush playing there in the 2014 Amateur Championship - so he feels he'll have a big chance of adding a third Major at the Northern Irish links.

"I like Royal Portrush. Last Open there I did well. I played a British Am there and had nothing but a good experience," said Rahm.

"It's a fantastic golf course where, like every other Major, you have to do everything well. I've been lucky enough to play in Ireland and Northern Ireland, so I'm hoping that can carry on over into a Major championship, as well."

Rahm says that Portrush offers a unique twist on the usual links golf test thanks to bigger elevation changes than you normally find on most other places on the Open rota.

"It's a bit of a unique links because you don't usually have elevation changes in links golf, and it's not that it's massive, but that first hole you have anywhere between a wedge to a 7-iron with a massive upslope and massive crosswinds," Rahm explained.

"That's not something you usually see.

"The 5th hole is severely downhill, even the 7th going and up is not something you usually see. And then 16, 17, 18, with having to go over cliffs and falloffs and elevation changes, it's not something you usually get to practice in links golf.

"Usually it's perfectly flat, and there's other elements to worry about. So that's what makes Portrush to me a little bit more special."

Jon Rahm has admitted that his lofty finishes in LIV Golf so far this season, which has smaller fields, should not necessarily be taken as a sign that he's playing his very best golf.

The Spaniard has finished inside the top-10 in each of the eight LIV Golf events this season, but he was quick to put those performances into perspective given that LIV has 54-man fields with no cuts.

"Listen, I'm a realist in this case. I've been playing really good golf, yes, but I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't easier to have top 10s with a smaller field," Rahm said at his US Open press conference.

"That's just the truth, right? Had I been playing full-field events, would I have top 10 every single week? No.

"But I've been playing good enough to say that I would most likely have been inside the top 30 every single time and maybe even top 25, which for 21 straight tournaments I'd say that's pretty good."

Rahm joined the Saudi-backed circuit at the end of 2023, the same year he won The Masters in a reported $350 million multiyear deal.

The 30-year-old's switch to LIV remains one of the breakaway tour's most significant signings, but Rahm was quick to receive criticism when his performances in the Majors dipped the following year.

Rahm finished in a tie for 45th when he defended his Masters title in 2024 and then missed the cut at the PGA Championship, before enjoying a decent week at The Open.

Now, after settling into life on LIV, the 2021 US Open champion appears to be back on track and approaching somewhere near his best form.

"I think winning is equally as hard, but you can take advantage of a smaller field to finish higher," he said his his LIV form.

"I wouldn't always... as much as I want to give it credit personally for having that many top 10s, I wouldn't always give it as the full amount just knowing that it's a smaller field."

Even so, no one will be writing off the two-time Major winner this week, especially not after he had the old look in his eyes at the PGA Championship last month.

Rahm was right in the mix until late into the back nine at Quail Hollow, until a sloppy finish saw him drop down into a tie for eighth.

"It was a true joy to put myself in that position again," said Rahm, who dropped five shots over the last three holes. "I was very happy to be there and felt like I was in control.

"It was nice. It was unfortunate that... not even 16, just one bad swing on 17, which wasn't even entirely that bad, it was just a very difficult hole."

Rahm was the leading amateur the last time the US Open was staged at Oakmont in 2016.

However, despite having fond memories of the "iconic" venue, he admits the challenging layout is not one that he would like to play every day.

"All jokes aside, yeah, of course I want to be a member here. It's a beautiful golf course and very historic," he said.

"Would I play here every day? No. I wouldn't play anywhere every day. I would like the diversity of playing elsewhere."

Brandel Chamblee said Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm's late collapse at the 2025 PGA Championship was almost exclusively down to where the two play their golf.

While Scottie Scheffler ultimately sealed his third Major - and a first PGA Championship - by five strokes at Quail Hollow on Sunday, the result looked as though it would be very different with just nine holes to play.

Scheffler had begun the final round with a three-shot headstart but was slowly reeled in by Rahm and DeChambeau, with the Spaniard briefly pulling alongside the World No.1.

Yet, DeChambeau was unable to maintain his charge and slipped backwards first before Rahm ran out of momentum as well after a trio of close calls at 13, 14 and 15.

In the end, DeChambeau ended T2nd on six-under, not helped by a four-over sequence along the Green Mile over the weekend. Rahm, meanwhile, knew the game was up once he reached the toughest stretch and was five-over along the same three holes on Sunday alone to finish T8th.

Discussing what happened to the fallen pair of two-time Major winners, Golf Channel analyst Chamblee insisted the perceived lack of competition in the 54-hole circuit was ultimately what cost DeChambeau and Rahm at the sharp end of the PGA Championship.

Chamblee said: "If you look at how Bryson DeChambeau played 'the Green Mile' over the past two days - four-over-par. You look at how Jon Rahm played 'the Green Mile' over the past two days - five-over-par. If you look at how Scottie Scheffler played 'the Green Mile' over the past two days - one-under-par.

"It matters where you play to be sharp, to be at your best, to test yourself against the best, which they’re not playing against the best week in and week out. Scottie Scheffler is, at the highest level.

"When it mattered the most, 16, 17 and 18, when you had to hit shots, when you had to control your nerves, when you had to control the rhythm of your golf swing, Scottie had it, Bryson didn’t, Rahm didn’t.”

Reflecting on the past year for both LIV stars, DeChambeau has managed to finish in the top-six at four of his past half-dozen Majors while winning another and missing the cut at the 2024 Open Championship.

Meanwhile, Rahm largely failed to live up to expectations at the Majors in 2024 despite picking up the LIV Golf League Individual championship at the end of his first season with the PIF-backed circuit.

Weighing in on the subject, Chamblee's fellow Golf Channel analyst, Paul McGinley largely agreed with his colleague and claimed that LIV Golf's structure hardly prepares players for the rigours of Major championships.

McGinley said: “I think it’s hard to make an argument that LIV prepares you to win major championships because they are playing team events, they’re not playing on the most difficult golf courses, and they’re traveling around the world and then having to come back to America to play three of the four Majors. Those things alone.

“There’s a great quote from a Navy Seal that’s widely used in leadership. What do you do under pressure? And he says, 'I sink to the level of my training.' And the training that the guys get on LIV, the way they play on LIV, it’s not the same intensity as the PGA Tour. Nobody can argue that. That is true.

"Having said that, they do come close. Brooks has won a Major, Bryson has won a Major [since moving to LIV]. It's easy, with recency bias, to say that they can't win. But I'd agree with you to say that going to LIV is going to give you a better chance in winning a Major.

"I don’t care. You can argue that all day long. There’s no way that I can see [LIV] is a better and more productive pathway to be prepared to win majors.”

Jon Rahm briefly tied Scottie Scheffler's lead in Sunday's PGA Championship final round before a poor finish dropped him back into a tie for 8th-place.

The Spaniard was charging with birdies at 8, 10 and 11 but momentum was halted after he could only manage pars at the drivable 14th and par 5 15th before finishing bogey, double, double.

The LIV Golf star admitted that it's a "tough pill to swallow" after being in the hunt but was in good spirits after his disappointing finish.

"It was really close. God, it's been a while since I had that much fun on a golf course, 15 holes," he said after closing with a 73.

"Even the first seven the day where I was swinging well and things weren't happening, but I kept myself in and made the pars that I needed and played really good golf from the 8th to the 15th.

"A lot of positive to take from this week. Pretty fresh wound right now. But there's been a lot of good happening this week and a lot of positive feelings to take for the rest of the year."

Rahm, who on Saturday said that his swing issues were the reason for his poor Major form and not his move to LIV Golf, explained how pulls to the left ultimately cost him while he admitted that nerves also played a factor.

"It's a couple of things," he said.

"If there's ever somebody that's sitting right here that tells you nerves weren't a part of it, they're clearly lying. It's the main thing we do as a professional sport; it's controlling what goes through your mind."

The two-time Major winner, who won the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines and the 2023 Masters, was unsurprisingly looking forward to getting back home to Arizona, where he'll look to reset and go again next month at Oakmont.

"I think it's the first time I've been in position to win a Major that close and haven't done it," he said.

"The only times I think I've been in the lead in a Major on a Sunday, I've been able to close it out, and this is a very different situation. So I don't know exactly.

"But if it's ever a time, that's what family's for is the best. Luckily I'm going to get home maybe on time to get the kids to bed or not, I'm not sure. To them, whatever I did today, win or lose, they don't care. So that's always a good perspective.

"I always like to go back a little bit on something that Charles Barkley likes to remind basketball players all the time.

"Like, I play golf for a living. It's incredible. Am I embarrassed a little bit about how I finished today? Yeah. But I just need to get over it, get over myself. It's not the end of the world.

"It's not like I'm a doctor or a first responder, where somebody if they have a bad day, truly bad things happen. I'll get over it. I'll move on.

"Again, there's a lot more positive than negative to think about this week. I'm really happy I put myself in position and hopefully learn from this and give it another go in the US Open."

Callaway Golf has signed an equipment deal with Jon Rahm and his Legion XIII team, marking the first major manufacturer to sign up with the LIV Golf League.

Teams in LIV Golf have been busy doing all manner of clothing and sponsorship deals as they look to establish themselves as valuable sporting properties - but this deal is a first.

Callaway is the first major club manufacturer to sign an official deal with a team - with that team being led by Rahm who has been with the company since 2021.

The Spaniard used Callaway clubs to win both his Majors - the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters - and has continued with them in the bag since his switch to LIV Golf at the end of 2023.

And it is now Callaway that has taken the first leap into signing with a LIV team, with president Chip Brewer saying the company are "committed to being an equipment leader wherever top players are competing."

“We are happy to partner with a world-class athlete in Jon Rahm, and his Legion XIII team,” Brewer added in a press release.

“Now the time is right to cement our relationship with Jon and his team - utilizing his exceptional talent and stature within the game to help engage and excite fans around the globe.”

Brands initially seemed cautious about signing deals with the breakaway league, but with LIV Golf seemingly in for the long haul and talks continuing between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF it now seems much less of a risky move.

Already having that relationship with former World No.1 Rahm also helps, with the Spaniard still one of the biggest names in golf.

“I’m so happy to enhance this incredible relationship with Callaway and also extend it with Legion XIII,” Rahm said.

“I’ve played the best golf of my career with their equipment over the past four years, and they continue to set the bar higher with every new product line. I know this partnership will have a tremendously positive impact for me and my teammates.”

Legion XIII young guns Caleb Surratt and Tom McKibbin are already Callaway staff players, while teammate Tyrrell Hatton has been playing Ping clubs since turning pro in 2012.

Full details of the new deal between Callaway and Legion XIII have not been disclosed.

It has been a busy time for LIV teams in general with Legion XIII one of the most active - after annoucing a deal with Greyson Clothiers for this season among a slew of apparel deals around the league.

Signing young Northern Irishman McKibbin was somewhat of a coup, especially as he went against the advice of his hometown hero Rory McIlroy to join LIV.

Rahm won the individual LIV Golf title in his debut season last year as his team finished second.

And they've started in great form in 2025 with Legion XIII top of the standings after winning the season opener in Riyadh and finishing runner-up in Adelaide.

Jon Rahm Callaway club setup for 2025

Driver: Elyte Triple Diamond

Fairway Woods: Paradym Ai-Smoke TD T

Irons: Apex TCB 24

Wedges: Jaws RAW

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Rossie S

Ball: Chrome Tour X

Spanish golfing legend Jose Maria Olazabal questioned whether playing on LIV Golf was the best way for Jon Rahm to prepare himself for challenging in the Majors.

The two-time Masters champion spoke to Spanish news outlet El Pais recently and voiced his surprise that Rahm joined LIV Golf in December 2023.

Olazabal also said he was concerned that playing in LIV could cost Rahm the chance "to make history in this sport" with the format not being the best preparation for competing in the Majors.

Rahm won the LIV Golf individual title in his debut season, when he finished T7 at the Open, T45 in his Masters defence, missed the cut at the PGA Championship and withdrew from the US Open with injury.

And although Olazabal can see why Rahm joined LIV Golf "with the huge amount of millions they put on the table", he fears the move may make last year's mixed bag of Major results more common.

“I respect that,” Olazabal said to El Pais. "But I was surprised because Jon had been very clear in his words and he had an extraordinary future and the opportunity to make history in this sport, to write golden pages of golf. And I don’t know if he’ll be able to do it now."

Bryson DeChambeau had no problem competing in the Majors while playing on LIV last year - winning the US Open and almost picking up the PGA Championship as well in a superb season in golf's big four tournaments.

But Olazabal still thinks the 54-hole, smaller field, no-cut golf played on LIV is not the best way to sharpen up for the Majors.

“I don’t know if playing LIV is the best preparation to be able to stand out," Olazabal added. "From my point of view it’s not the best option. Above all it can hurt him in terms of competitiveness.

“I don’t question Jon’s work and attitude at any time. When he gets to the Masters this year he’s going to give it his all. But the rest of the season, playing 12 or 14 tournaments without a cut, with 54 players, it’s not the same as playing against 150 and knowing that you can go home.”

'It makes me sad that money has divided golf'

Now aged 59, Olazabal is not exactly in the demographic LIV Golf is looking to attract, and he admits he's not a fan of things like a shotgun start and music blasting out at tournaments.

Despite admitting he'd be tempted to join if he were a young player, Olazabal was sad that the influx of money has only served to create such a divide in the sport.

“Call me traditional but I don’t like the format,” Olazabal said. “I don’t like the fact that they all come out at the same time, in three days, and the music.

"It makes me sad that money has divided golf. It’s because of money, there’s no doubt about it. I’ve always respected the decision of those who have left.

“If you had put a check in front of me with a bunch of zeroes on it, I might have done it, too. But it’s a shame that money has destroyed in such a short time what had been built up over so many years.”

The Mexico Open has been on the PGA Tour schedule since 2022 but the national open has a long history dating back to 1944.

Al Espinosa won the tournament's inaugural staging and the Californian went on to win all of the first four. Espinosa won 20 times as a pro and is credited with nine PGA Tour wins. He was 2nd at the 1928 PGA Championship and 1929 US Open.

Throughout the coming decades, a number of huge names from the golfing world got their hands on the Mexico Open trophy, including a series of Major champions and Hall of Famers.

We take a look at some of the big names to have won the Mexico Open:

Roberto De Vicenzo: 1951, 1953 and 1955

Roberto De Vicenzo is second to Espinosa in Mexico Open wins, after triumphing three times in the 1950s. He also recorded three runner-up finishes in the event.

The Argentinian's wins all came at Chapultepec, the Mexico City course that recently hosted the WGC-Mexico and is now on the LIV Golf schedule.

De Vicenzo famously won the 1967 Open at Hoylake, where he beat Jack Nicklaus by two. He was also runner-up at the 1968 Masters where he had to forfeit the playoff to Bob Goalby after signing for an incorrect score.

Bobby Locke: 1952

Locke is one of the greatest South African golfers of all time and his name is another big one on the Mexico Open trophy, having won in 1952.

He beat Vicenzo and Jimmy Demaret that week, which was the same year as his third Open Championship victory at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

Locke won four Opens in total and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He won over 90 titles as a pro.

Tony Lema: 1961 and 1962

Lema's crowning glory came at St Andrews in 1964, where he beat Jack Nicklaus by five strokes to win The Open at the Old Course.

The Californian won over 20 professional titles and claimed the Mexico Open in both 1961 and '62. He sadly died at the age of 32 in an airplane crash, just two years after winning the Claret Jug.

Art Wall Jr: 1964

Wall Jr is another Major champion to have their name on the Mexico Open trophy.

The Pennsylvanian, who won the 1959 Masters, beat runner-up De Vicenzo to win the 1964 staging of Mexico's national open.

Lee Trevino: 1973 and 1975

The greatest Latino golfer of all time, Trevino triumphed at the Mexico Open in both 1973 and 1975.

Trevino, known as 'Supermex', won over 90 tournaments including six Majors in his Hall of Fame career. The Texan twice won the US Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship but goes down as one of the best players to never win The Masters.

Billy Casper: 1977

Three-time Major champion Billy Casper won one of his 70+ professional titles at the 1977 Mexico Open.

The Californian, who is 7th all-time in PGA Tour wins with 51, won his Majors at the 1959 and 1966 US Opens as well as the 1970 Masters. He is also the USA's all-time leading Ryder Cup points scorer.

Ben Crenshaw: 1981

Crenshaw is known as one of the greatest putters of all time and his flat stick was clearly working well at the 1981 Mexico Open, where he beat Raymond Floyd to lift the trophy.

The World Golf Hall of Famer is synonymous with The Masters, having won the Green Jacket in 1984 and 1995. The Texan was also second twice at The Open and once at the PGA Championship.

Stewart Cink: 1996 and 1999

2009 Open champion Stewart Cink won the Mexico Open twice in the late 90s in the early stages of his pro career.

As well as winning the Mexico Open, he also won three times on the now-Korn Ferry Tour in 1996 to become the circuit's Player of the Year. He graduated to the PGA Tour in '97 and was named Rookie of the Year.

Eduardo Romero: 1998

Romero is one of Argentina's greatest ever players, and he won the Mexico Open in 1998.

Known as 'El Gato' (The Cat), he won over 70 professional titles in his career including the 2002 Scottish Open and 2008 US Senior Open.

Jon Rahm: 2022

Rahm arrived at the Mexico Open in 2022 as overwhelming favorite, with the World No.2 headlining the event in its first year as an official PGA Tour event after years of being held on the Korn Ferry and Latinoamerica tours.

He edged out Kurt Kitayama at current venue Vidanta Vallarta to win his seventh PGA Tour title.

The Spaniard returned to defend his crown in 2023 but finished runner-up to Tony Finau.

There are times when the Rules of Golf can benefit or punish your game but, as of writing, there is no rule regarding relief from fairway divots.

Obviously, in terms of etiquette, a divot should always be filled in but, at times, there are moments when you can't physically do so. What's more, if your ball ends up in a divot, you can't take relief and must play the ball as it lies.

This is one of the most argued points in golf, as some believe there should be free relief if you find a fairway divot, whereas some feel its tough luck if you do find one from a tee shot.

It's a hot topic and, featuring on the Rick Shiels YouTube channel, two-time Major winner Jon Rahm was asked about his thoughts on the matter, explaining that it's rare professionals have to play shots from fairway divots when in competition play.

Despite the accuracy of players hitting into similar areas of the fairway every round, the Spaniard revealed that "if it happens more than once a year (you're unlucky)."

However, despite it not being a frequent event, Rahm claimed that he does "go back and forth" on the matter of the possibility of free relief, explaining both sides of the argument.

"I think you should, because it's the definition of ground under repair. But then, what is a divot? Can you call any possible imperfection a divot when it's on the fairway, and get relief?

"It's a tricky one, especially around the greens. I feel a lot of people take advantage of that. The one I do feel strongly on, though, is a pitchmark. You see what happened with Paul Casey at The Players Championship a few years ago. That's a little bit borderline. If you hit the fairway you shouldn't be penalized."

You can check out the full conversation at the 38-minute mark in the video below:

The moment involving Casey came at the 2022 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. In contention heading down the stretch, the Englishman pounded his drive into the centre of the fairway but, as the ball finished, it came to rest in a pitchmark from a player's previous drive.

Dubbed as one of the 'worst breaks' in golf, Casey was unable to take a relief as the pitchmark didn't happen from his drive. If the ball had embedded itself on landing he would have been granted free relief but, consequently, his only option was to knock one down the fairway, whereas he would have no doubt gone for the green if his ball wasn't embedded.

Back in 2021, Golf Monthly posed the question on its website forum asking whether free relief should be taken from fairway divots. In terms of responses, approximately 75% of the comments were along the lines of ‘no relief and just get on with it’.