DP World Tour approves process to take in players leaving LIV Golf

The DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee has approved a process for dealing with players who want to leave LIV Golf. A tour spokesperson told Today’s Golfer that Wentworth is “exploring the terms on which we are willing to accommodate players”. Players must be free of third-party contracts and willing to follow the tour’s membership regulations. The tour expects more enquiries in the coming days.

The statement comes two weeks before LIV’s 25 October deadline for players to commit to its planned relaunch. The terms themselves have not been published; the detail that follows is from Today’s Golfer, which reported on Friday that several LIV players were in advanced talks. Beyond the spokesperson’s statement, the tour has confirmed none of it.

According to the magazine, players who already hold DP World Tour exemptions can renew their membership in the normal way. The new arrangements are for those without status or an easy way back. They would receive a fixed number of tournament invitations for 2027, which for some could run into double figures depending on their value to events and the space available. Those invitations would not, at first, include the five Rolex Series events, and players would have to reject the terms offered for LIV 2.0 and leave their existing LIV contracts.

Joaquin Niemann lost his DP World Tour status after failing to play the minimum number of events, and would otherwise face the tour’s qualifying school, the magazine says. He won the Chile Open a week ago and has not committed to the relaunched league.

David Puig has told reporters he does not see himself in LIV 2.0 and wants a fuller European schedule next year. Jon Rahm’s lawyer has told LIV’s bankruptcy court that his client will not join, and Sergio Garcia has already got his release from the league.

The magazine also reports that the tour will resume sanctioning members next season if they stay with LIV and break the tour’s conflicting-event rules. In February, eight LIV players with DP World Tour membership signed conditional releases that let them play in the league without fines or bans, provided they added extra European starts. A return to sanctions would make it harder for anyone in the 10-event LIV 2.0 to build a full schedule elsewhere.

The PGA TOUR’s chief executive, Brian Rolapp, has repeatedly ruled out reopening the returning-member programme that brought Brooks Koepka back in January. Former LIV players face a one-year suspension dating from their last LIV round, which the magazine says would keep Rahm off the American circuit until August 2027.

LIV needs commitments from enough players with claims against it to satisfy its rescue deal with BC Partners Credit, which has conditionally agreed to put $300 million into the new league. The bankruptcy case is back in court on 14 October, GolfMagic reports. Bryson DeChambeau, whose camp has asked Wentworth about extra starts, has yet to say whether he will sign.

Sources

• Today’s Golfer: LIV Golf stars set to agree exit plan with major DP World Tour deal
• Yahoo Sports / Golfweek: LIV Golf player joins growing list of those saying they’re leaving
• Yahoo Sports / Heavy: LIV Golf hit with major blow as players negotiate exit deals
• GolfMagic: Bryson DeChambeau makes fresh move as LIV Golf future takes new twist
• Golf Channel: Jon Rahm’s lawyer says client will not return to LIV Golf