Why Won't Jon Rahm Pay His DP World Tour Fines?

Jon Rahm looks on in the background at LIV Golf Adelaide 2026 — (Image credit: Getty Images)

'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.

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.

Nick Bonfield

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.

Elliott Heath

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.

Matt Cradock

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.

Jon Rahm at the LIV Golf Saudi Arabia event at Riyadh GC

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...

Jonny Leighfield

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.

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Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time.

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