Jon Rahm Has Finally Unlocked His Ryder Cup Eligibility

STERLING, Va. — Jon Rahm’s impasse with the DP World Tour is no longer, which means the two-time major winner will be free to compete in the tour’s events this year in order to meet membership requirements and thus be eligible for the 2027 Ryder Cup.

The Spanish star had declined to take an offer made to other LIV Golf members earlier this year that cleared the way for them to play on the DP World Tour without fines or the need for releases in exchange for resolving all previous sanctions and agreeing to play in extra events beyond the four-tournament minimum.

Rahm balked at adding two extra events and said as recently at the Masters that he didn’t believe it was proper that he be required to play beyond the four necessary for membership.

But speaking Tuesday in advance of LIV Golf Virginia, Rahm said the two sides had compromised, and thus Rahm has agreed to add a fifth event to his schedule.

“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 the 2026 season,” the tour said in a statement. “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.”

LIV Golf had prior to this year paid outstanding fines and it is unclear if the league or Rahm did so in this case. He was believed to have owed in excess of $2 million. Plus he was in violation this year for having played in three conflicting LIV Golf events, for which he also paid fines and for which the DP World Tour took into consideration in reducing his required number of tournaments to five rather than six.

“We were able to reach an agreement. There were some concessions on both sides. I offered some,” Rahm said. “They extended an olive branch. And we reached an agreement. So, I will not be stressing that.

“There were some things I believed in that I wanted to agree with, that I wanted them to agree with me. I knew it was a matter of time. I also understand they have their bylaws. And they have to follow certain procedures. And things are never as easy or as fast as we think they would be. Or at least I would have liked.”

“But I was never worried. I’ve wanted to support the DP World Tour. There’s a lot of events I’m going to play.”

Rahm said his wife, Kellie, is due in October which presents the “only issue I have” as far as scheduling. Asked if he might play the Scottish Open the week prior to the British Open in July, Rahm said he had not gotten that far. LIV’s schedule had not allowed for that possibility in the past two years.

Earlier this year, the DP World Tour made an offer to eight LIV players who compete on the DP World Tour that allowed them membership without having to seek releases or pay fines if they agreed to certain stipulations including adding tournaments and resolving all previous fines.

Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Elvis Smylie, Laurie Canter, Adrian Meronk, Thomas Detry, David Puig and Victor Perez and all took the deal. Rahm held out until now.

Because he was not a member at the time, he will not earn Race to Dubai points for the Masters but will at next week’s PGA Championship and any subsequent DP World Tour events he plays this year.

Rahm had said previously that he wasn’t planning to play on the DP World Tour until the LIV season is complete in August. Events such as the BMW PGA Championship, the Irish Open, the Dunhill Links Championship and the Spanish Open would be among possibilities as well as the season-ending events in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi and Dubai if he qualifies.

There has been some concern that Rahm would not be eligible for the Ryder Cup next year if he did not complete his membership requirements, which was in play if he did not agree to the DP World Tour deal. Rahm has played in four Ryder Cups including three winning European efforts.

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