Jon Rahm accuses DP World Tour bosses of ‘extorting’ players, won’t agree to releases deal
Spaniard says he won’t allow European tour to dictate where and when he plays, says officials want to have their cake and eat it
There is no sign of the row between Jon Rahm and the DP World Tour ending any time soon, with the Spaniard saying on Tuesday that he believed players who paid fines were “being extorted”.
The two-time major winner’s name was notable by its absence from a list of eight LIV Golf players who were granted conditional releases by the DPWT last month.
All eight – Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie – paid their fines, agreed to play additional events and withdrew all appeals as part of their releases.
Rahm’s objection to the US$3 million he is reportedly on the hook for is well known, but he remains adamant that he will not sign a contract that stipulates “a minimum of six events, and they dictate where two of those have to be”.
“I don’t know what game they’re trying to play right now,” he said. “But it just seems like in a way they’re using us to – they’re using our impact in tournaments and fighting 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.”
