Jon Rahm is officially out of LIV Golf, leaving the league on October 7 amid bankruptcy hearings and financial uncertainty as it transitions to LIV Golf 2.0. The massive question now is where he plays next, because he has no idea.
Rahm’s High-Stakes Gamble
Rahm spoke to media on Tuesday, the first time since his huge decision to leave LIV Golf, and he made it clear he wants to play on the PGA Tour in 2027. But here’s the kicker: he isn’t sure if there’s even a “path back.” Can you believe this? After making such a big move, he’s left in limbo! If that PGA Tour door stays shut, Rahm says his plan is to play on the DP World Tour, which is Europe’s top men’s professional golf league. The good news there is the top 10 players at the end of a DP World Tour season actually earn a PGA Tour card. So, there is a way, just not the direct one he probably hoped for.
He made these comments from Yas Links in Abu Dhabi during the DP World Tour Playoffs, saying, “I have yet to have a discussion with the PGA Tour to see if there’s any path back for next year. So I don’t know, as of right now. Until I get clarity on that, yeah, my plan would be to spend the year on the DP World Tour, and I’m looking forward to it.” Talk about a player being stuck in neutral.
The Brooks Koepka Precedent and Why It’s Not for Rahm
So, what would a direct path back to the PGA Tour look like for Rahm? It’s not clear. When he was asked, Rahm stated he’d likely be willing to accept the same penalties that Brooks Koepka did when he returned to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf. That sounds promising, right? Except Rahm straight up said he doesn’t expect to receive that offer. “Most likely, yeah. Why not? …I seriously doubt I get offered the same deal that Brooks did. But yeah, if I got offered exactly the same penalties as him, I probably would do it, yes.” That’s a huge “if” hanging over his head.
Koepka’s return came in January via the Tour’s “Returning Members Program.” The PGA offered immediate reinstatement to a select group of players who had won The Players Championship, Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, or British Open Championship between 2022 and 2025. Rahm, with his 2023 Masters win, would have qualified for this program! But he didn’t accept the terms when they were offered, and that program expired on February 2.
Koepka’s reinstatement came with some absolutely massive penalties: a five-year forfeiture of participation in the player equity program, estimated at a jaw-dropping $50-85 million in earnings for a player of his caliber. Plus, the PGA Tour requested a $5 million charitable contribution. Koepka was the *only* player to take this deal. Now Rahm, who could have had it, is saying he’d take those exact penalties, but the PGA Tour isn’t making the offer.
Patrick Reed, another player who left LIV, wasn’t eligible for that “Returning Member’s Program” either. He left LIV in August 2025 and has been playing the DP World Tour since, essentially serving a one-year suspension. It looks like Rahm is headed down a similar, longer road.
Rahm’s immediate future is locked in on the DP World Tour. He’s got to fight for one of those top 10 spots to earn his PGA Tour card for 2027. It’s a grind, and all eyes will be on him to see if he can make it happen the hard way.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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