Rahm and LIV team mates McKibbin and Hatton welcome potential fines deal with DP World Tour

Jon Rahm and his Legion XIII teammates Tom McKibbin and Tyrrell Hatton said they’re happy to see the DP World Tour work towards finding a solution that would end fines for LIV Golf members.

ESPN and the LIV-centric Flushing It X account reported over the weekend that the DP World Tour is working to drop fines for members who play on the LIV Golf League, which begins its new season with its first 72-hole event under lights in Riyadh from Wednesday.

According to reports, all outstanding fines must be paid before the DP World Tour grants releases to members to compete in the Saudi-funded league this year.

Speaking ahead of LIV’s season-opening event, Rahm did not deny that a deal was in the pipeline.

“I personally would say I don’t know too much about the matter,” Rahm said. “Obviously, I think at first, managers are going to be taking care of that early on.

“I don’t know what the negotiations look like. Obviously, they’re going to players individually to make different deals.

“I don’t know what it may be or what it’s going to look like, but I’m happy to see that looking for a path forward for LIV players to be able to play on both Tours and not to get penalised.”

Rahm owes the DP World Tour around $3m in fines, and both he and his LIV Golf teammate Tyrrell Hatton are refusing to pay and awaiting the result of an appeal.

They were able to play in last year’s Ryder Cup because their appeals had not yet been heard, but if the deal goes through, it would clarify their future for the 2027 matches in Adare.

According to Sports Illustrated, players could be asked to commit to a varying number of DP World Tour events in exchange for quashing the fines.

“We continue to have dialogue with individual members involved to explore and discuss options,” the DP World Tour said in a statement issued to SI.com

Rahm indicated last year that he’s keen to tee it up in the Amgen Irish Open again, and he reiterated his belief that players should not be penalised due to Tour politics.

“I think the example of players like Tom (McKibbin) or David Puig, who’s now a winner on the European Tour, who just chose the best path possible as young players, shouldn’t be penalised because of the politics of the game,” Rahm said.  

“The fact that they’re looking at a positive way to figure it out, I think it’s only good for us, and I think it’s good for the DP World Tour as well.”

Rahm’s Legion XIII teammates Hatton and McKibbin agreed it was a good move.  

“It sounds positive, so if things are moving in the right direction, that’s good for golf,” Hatton said.

“Yeah, we’ll let other people figure that out, and we’ll just focus on playing golf this week.”

McKibbin added: “Same as the two guys. They both summed it up pretty perfectly.”

As for Patrick Reed’s decision last week to join Brooks Koepka in leaving LIV Golf to return to the PGA Tour, both Rahm and Hatton said little.

“I think each one is going to do whatever he thinks is best for them,” Rahm said. “At this point, I just wish him nothing but the best of luck. Hopefully, it all goes well.

“We're free to choose where we want to play golf. At least that's how it should be. And he's made his choice, obviously.  

“Nothing really against him. He's been playing fantastic golf, and if he wants to go back, he should have the chance to do so.”

Hatton added: “I don't really have too much more to add on that, other than he was out of contract, and he had options and decided that for him to move forward that he wanted to go back and play on the PGA Tour. That's his choice.”