Jon Rahm explains why he has not signed LIV release to play on DP World Tour: 'I'll play four tournaments, not six'

Jon Rahm has accused the DP World Tour of "extorting players" and says he will not sign a deal that allows him to play on the circuit and in LIV Golf simultaneously under current conditions.

Unlike his Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton, Rahm was not among the eight DP World Tour members recently given conditional releases to appear in LIV Golf without facing fines.

The Spaniard has previously said he has "no intention" of paying the financial punishments for breaching membership guidelines by featuring in LIV events without permission, with his fines believed to be in the region of £2.5m.

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Unless an agreement is reached, his eligibility for next year's Ryder Cup in Ireland could be in doubt.

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The chief sticking point for Rahm is the number of DP World Tour events he has been asked to appear in.

'I don't like the situation and I'm not going to agree to it'

Two-time major champion and former world No 1 Rahm said ahead of LIV Golf Hong Kong from Thursday: "I don't like what [the DP World Tour] are doing currently with the contract they're having us sign.

"They're asking me to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate where two of those have to be, amongst other things that I don't agree with.

"I did tell them to lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I'll sign tonight. They haven't agreed to that. I just refuse to play six events. I don't want to and that's not what the rules say.

"I don't know what game they're trying to play right now, but it just seems they're using our impact in tournaments, fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer.

"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."

The eight players granted LIV releases - Hatton, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie - have all accepted that their presence at tournaments benefits the DP World Tour and its members.

Conditions for the players' release include paying outstanding fines in full for breaching the DP World Tour's regulations, as well as withdrawing all pending appeals.

The group must also participate in additional stipulated DP World Tour tournaments and media activity.

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'I'll pay to play in Ryder Cup - but not to be a DP World Tour member'

Rory McIlroy previously said Rahm and Hatton should pay their fines and prove their commitment to Team Europe, after the furore of Team America being given money for their appearances at the 2025 tournament in New York.

McIlroy told reporters in January: "We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play. We also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There's two guys that can prove it."

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On McIlroy's comments, Rahm added: "That statement would make a lot more sense if all 12 of us were being asked to pay, not only just the two of us.

"There's more intricacy that goes into this whole situation, right.

"While I understand why he's saying that, we all do it for the love of the game, it's a different situation than what we usually see.

"I'll gladly pay my way to go on the Ryder Cup, not have to pay to still be a member of the DP World Tour and fulfil a commitment that I'm fully willing to commit."