Golf: DP World Tour Extortion Claim!
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
It has been reported that the former number one Spanish professional golfer, Jon Rahm, has claimed that the DP World Tour - formerly known as the European Tour - is extorting players. He made this claim when explaining why he is not amongst a group of LIV Golf competitors who have signed a settlement enabling them to play in the tournaments of both organisations.
In February 2026, eight players were granted releases by the DP World Tour to participate in six LIV Golf events this year, thereby allowing them to retain their memberships and remain eligible for Ryder Cup selection.
The releases included an agreement to pay outstanding fines reportedly to be in the region of £2.5 million (around €2.8 million) levied for playing in LIV events without DP World Tour permission; the withdrawal of all pending appeals; and an acceptance to take part in stipulated DP World Tour tournaments.
Rahm has stated that he would not agree to those terms, although he might do so if a compromise could be reached for the number of DP tournaments needing to be played was reduced to four tournaments.
His present stance could jeopardise his participation in the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland, having been part of the last four European squads.
He remarked that:
" ….. it just seems like in a way they're using us to capitalise on our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer.”
Rahm considers that professional golfers should be able to freely play where they want.
And he may certainly have a point from a European Union (EU) Competition Law point of view, based on recent decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on sport and EU Competition Law.
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
