LIV Golf Tried to Go Behind the PGA TOUR’s Back — And the DP World Tour Stopped It

LIV Golf tried to go behind the PGA TOUR’s back by working with one of its biggest allies, the DP World Tour, to qualify several players whose outstanding fines impacted their eligibility to play in the BMW PGA Championship.

The DP World Tour had none of it.

A new report from Sports Illustrated suggests that LIV Golf attempted to work with the DP World Tour by paying fines outright for Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.

Jon Rahm might have just saved his Ryder Cup hopes.

It was looking grim for the Spaniard as he seemed to be on his way out of potential qualification for next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

However, European fans can breathe a sigh of relief. It looks like Rahm will still… pic.twitter.com/AO0Itm5z8f

— Golficity (@Golficity) September 12, 2024

The DP World Tour would not allow LIV to pay the fines for the players, and even though it is a drop in the bucket for Rahm, who signed a rumored $300 million contract with LIV last December, and Hatton, who has had a successful career on his own, it’s the principle.

It is much bigger than a simple financing of fines for two players on its roster. Instead, it can be looked at like this:

• LIV Golf tried to work around the PGA TOUR and get to the DP World Tour directly
• The DP World Tour’s tactic to make the players pay the fines themselves was a way to put up walls between it and LIV — it had no interest in working with LIV directly
• The rejection, if that’s what it can be called, might be the best thing moving forward

LIV Golf tried to work around the PGA TOUR and get to the DP World Tour directly

The report says that LIV Golf’s attempts were met with some interest. A representative for the DP World Tour confirmed they met with LIV officials:

“LIV representatives met with DP World Tour officials and proposed schedule adjustments that would assure LIV events would not be played against some of the Tour’s more prominent events…The amount was to be £6 million to put towards purses with the ability to add more if needed…The offer was rejected.”

The DP World Tour’s tactic to make the players pay the fines themselves was a way to put up walls between it and LIV — it had no interest in working with LIV directly

Perhaps this was a tactic the DP World Tour used to keep LIV Golfers out of the field. As reported by Bloomberg today, players on the PGA TOUR are not keen on letting LIV Golfers back into their events unless they give their money back.

Perhaps this was the latest move in a game of Chess between the PGA TOUR and LIV Golf. Although Rahm continued to stall and delay his payment of fines, maybe the DP World Tour thought he wouldn’t pay as a retaliation.

The rejection, if that’s what it can be called, might be the best thing moving forward

Reps for the DP World Tour told SI:

 “We met with them and listened to their proposal but did not accept it, as our view remains that the focus should continue to be on all stakeholders working together to reach an overall solution that benefits our sport.”

It’s a good point. Things might have moved backward between the PGA TOUR and LIV (if that’s even possible) if the DP World Tour would have allowed LIV Golf to pay for the players.

It also could have been really bad for the PGA TOUR’s relationship with the DP World Tour. “You’re doing business with the enemy?!”

On the other hand, it could have been a major move forward for negotiatons. If the DP World Tour would have taken the side of LIV, the PGA TOUR might have needed to sound some serious alarm bells.

Cover Image via The Hill