In February 2026, eight LIV golfers entered into a conditional release agreement. The conditions they agreed to were paying all outstanding fees, withdrawing any appeals against earlier sanctions, playing stipulated additional events, and participating in agreed media and promotional activities.
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However, Jon Rahm continued his months-long battle over the reported $3 million fine. His argument centered on the stipulated additional events. Later in May 2026, Jon Rahm entered into a separate conditional release agreement. The major difference was that he didn’t have to participate in the stipulated additional tournaments.
Through these conditional releases, the tour allowed these golfers to play LIV Golf events without incurring further disciplinary penalties. However, that agreement would likely last only until the end of 2026. The DP World Tour is likely to impose sanctions again for conflicting events starting next season, and there’s a good reason for this decision.
“Spoke to some DPWT sources about the fact it is ‘highly unlikely’ LIV golfers would be granted conditional releases in 2027. Big reason is DPWT doesn’t know LIV’s schedule, and the fact national opens were a part of LIV’s plans. Landscape is dramatically different to when DPWT agreed to 2026 conditional releases. The European circuit oversees 17 national opens,” Evin Priest wrote in an X post.
As Priest pointed out, the DP World Tour oversees multiple national opens in markets including Scotland, Ireland, France, India, Spain, South Africa, China, Australia, and more. These national opens hold great significance because they are tied to national federations, long-standing sponsors, host governments, broadcasters, and the sporting identities of their countries.
The LIV 2.0 structure reportedly features five team majors across five different continents. It also plans to introduce a few “National Opens” or individual play events. These events will allow the top 10 finishers to rack up OWGR points.
The real challenge is the uncertainty of the schedule. Currently, there are many big ifs associated with LIV Golf. While CEO Scott O’Neil announced a lead investor at LIV Golf UK, the uncertainty continues to grow. The executives have released no information about the mystery investor or their conditions.
Even if LIV Golf meets all the conditions and secures funding, the management will have to decide on the new schedule. So, there’s no way to say right now if the schedule will have conflicting National Opens. And if there are no conflicts there, it still hints at a lot of direct competition.
For example, LIV Golf could pursue the same sponsors, broadcasters, or government partners. Similarly, it could seek to attract the same leading domestic players that the DPWT has set its sights on.
However, there’s one thing LIV Golf can no longer do: pressure some golfers into playing its events. Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, and many others have signed massive multi-million-dollar deals with LIV Golf. This means that the league still owes these golfers eight- to nine-figure amounts.
Thus, to keep these golfers from leaving the league, it is offering equity in the organization. It is also handing them their NIL rights and, apart from the team events, won’t restrict golfers from playing whichever events they want on any tour.
With LIV Golf’s future schedule still uncertain, the DP World Tour has little reason to offer the same flexibility in 2027.