PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Justin Rose said he’d like for LIV Golf League captain Jon Rahm to pay his fines to the DP World Tour so he can return to the European Ryder Cup team in 2027.
Rahm and the European circuit have been at a stalemate because Rahm has refused to pay fines — reportedly as much as $3 million — for competing in conflicting events without a release.
“I would like to see Jon pay his fines for sure and be a part of the Ryder Cup,” Rose said Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass, the site of this week’s Players Championship.
“Obviously, playing on LIV was a decision that he made and wanted to make, and fair play to him for making it and good for him. He’s playing good golf out there. He’s winning. He’s making a lot of money, and you can’t argue [and] can’t knock what he’s been able to achieve out there.”
Rahm is the only LIV Golf player who didn’t agree to an arrangement in which he would pay his previous fines, drop his appeal and agree to play in two additional DP World Tour events on top of the minimum four required for membership.
The DP World Tour said it granted releases to Tyrrell Hatton and seven other golfers competing on the Saudi Arabian-financed LIV Golf League.
“Obviously, eight did it and Jon didn’t,” Rose said. “So, I mean, there’s pretty decent precedent that the deal wasn’t outrageous that they were proposing.”
During a news conference in Hong Kong on March 3, Rahm accused the DP World Tour of attempting to “extort” its members by dictating the additional events that LIV Golf players will have to compete in.
“I just don’t like the situation,” Rahm said. “I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not be dictated what we do.”
In September 2024, Rahm appealed the DP World Tour’s punishment to a U.K. arbitration panel, which hasn’t yet heard his case. That appeal allowed Rahm to play in the required number of DP World Tour events to compete on Europe’s Ryder Cup team, which defeated the U.S. 15-13 at Bethpage Black Course in New York in September 2025.
If Rahm loses his appeal, his future on the DP World Tour, and his eligibility to compete in the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland, would be in doubt.
“For me, being in the Ryder Cup is more than about money,” Rose said. “What I would say, where he may have a point is the tour making him play extra events. Maybe he has a point there. So, maybe there’s some middle ground where he would do his best to support the tour as and when, but not necessarily have that hung over his head, but paying his fines is obviously step No. 1.”
Rose is the second European Ryder Cup teammate who has spoken about his decision to not accept the DP World Tour deal.
Last week, world No. 2 golfer Rory McIlroy said it was a “shame” that Rahm didn’t accept the deal.
“In my opinion, it’s a really generous deal,” McIlroy said.
