Scrolling through the entry list of the DP World Tour Championship, just two of the 50 eligible participants are not in Dubai to round out the 2024 season – Ludvig Åberg and Jon Rahm.
The Swede underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee back in early September, so continues his rehabilitation work elsewhere, but it’s the absence of Rahm’s name that raises eyebrows.
It’s been well publicised that he lodged an 11th hour appeal against his DP World Tour fines to remain a DP World Tour member and retain Ryder Cup selection eligibility, playing the minimum four additional events outside of the majors.
It’s also been reported that his appeal won’t be heard until after the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage – which is unlikely to be conincidental – meaning that the likely ruling in the DP World Tour’s favour won’t affect his ability to don the European colours. Not in 2025 anyway.
Why is the ruling likely to go against Rahm, and fellow appellants Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Meronk? Because a precedent has been set, and when it comes to law, precedent is a pretty big deal.
Back in April 2023, Sports Resolutions upheld the DP World Tour’s decision to fine players who played in conflicting LIV events £100,000 (for each conflicting event played) and it’s highly unlikely that that decision will be overturned.
Rahm is clearly not impressed with the fines issued, and he, like the others that appealed before him, are either standing on principle or on an unwillingness to part with even a fraction of the additional millions they’ve accumulated as a result of jumping ship.
But whatever your stance on LIV and the players who chose to join, the DP World Tour are well within their rights to issue those fines. After all, LIV’s arrival on the scene has been damaging to the existing tours, with players, tournament host courses and prospective investors all either being lured away or being courted.
So, regardless of intent, that damage should come at a cost if they wish to remain DP World Tour members. And if they don’t, they don’t, but in that scenario, both sides end up losing as Rahm, Hatton and any other top LIV Golf Europeans can’t play in the Ryder Cup. Team Europe suffers because it is deprived of a couple of strong players in the single event where they’re most needed, and the players themselves suffer because, as important as the money is, it’s the one event – well, the Olympics now makes it two – that rises above it.
But that’s only as long as they’re welcome in the team environment. Despite the lip service paid by the likes of Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and other leading European players, it’s hard to imagine there’s not a bit of underlying disgruntlement with the unwillingness to comply with DP World Tour rules and pay what’s due.
At least Hatton has gone above and beyond the minimum event requirement, and the DP World Tour Championship will be his sixth counting event outside the majors. Rahm, on the other hand, has played the bare minimum, two of which were in his native Spain.
Yes, he has a six-week-old child at home, and I’m sure Mrs. Rahm is happy that he’s not absconded off to the Middle East for a week or so, but it would’ve been a goodwill gesture to the DP World Tour if nothing else had he teed it up one more time.
And as a three-time DP World Tour Championship winner, were he to make it a quartet of victories at the Earth Course, the $3 million first prize would’ve covered those fines he’s so against paying.
Leave a comment