Picture a Ryder Cup year in which Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Tom McKibbin tee it up on the DP World Tour rather than the PGA Tour. Is that exile for the stars or the best thing to happen to European golf in years? SiriusXM’s Taylor Zarzour believes it could be the latter.
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Speaking on the 5 Clubs podcast with host Gary Williams, Zarzour was asked whether Rahm has any path back to the PGA Tour in 2027. And he pointed out why he’d rather see Rahm stay away for another year.
“But I almost hope he doesn’t do that. I almost hope the PGA Tour hopes he doesn’t do that. And the reason I say that is because I would love to see the PGA Tour say, ‘You know what, guys? We’re not going to do that in 2027. We have a partnership with the DP World Tour. They have an opportunity to have the best year they’ve ever had in terms of fields in a Ryder Cup year.”
“In a Ryder Cup year, on a recurring basis, let’s throw a bone to our partners at the DP World Tour and let Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, all these studs that have come over from LIV play on the DP World Tour. They can work their way back to the PGA Tour once we’ve established the new two levels of it in 2028.”
It’s a different take on what has largely been a gloomy debate. Much of the discussion has focused on how difficult it would be to bring LIV’s former stars back to the PGA Tour. Zarzour, however, sees an opportunity for both tours. Rather than rush their return, the PGA Tour could let the DP World Tour benefit from their presence for one season.
For context, speaking ahead of the DP World Tour Playoffs, the Spaniard said he had not yet spoken to the PGA Tour about a possible return. For now, he plans to spend 2027 playing on the DP World Tour.
Rahm also admitted he would probably accept the same deal Koepka received, which included a $5 million charity donation, no FedEx Cup bonus money, and no equity grants for five years. However, he “seriously doubts” the Tour will extend that offer to him. Even if he faces a one-year suspension, Rahm said, he would still be playing on “a wonderful tour for a whole year.”
The two circuits already have a long-term partnership, with an agreement that runs through 2035. The PGA Tour also increased its stake in European Tour Productions from 15% to 40%. Under the deal, the top 10 DP World Tour players who do not already hold PGA Tour status earn cards each year.
However, the partnership still has some uncertainty. A break clause kicks in for 2027, and the PGA Tour has not committed to extending the 10-card pathway beyond that year. Allowing LIV’s former stars to spend 2027 on the DP World Tour could therefore be a meaningful gesture as the two circuits continue to work together.
The timing could hardly be better for the European circuit. LIV players face an automatic one-year suspension from regular PGA Tour events, which would keep Rahm out until the end of August 2027. That means the DP World Tour could feature several of the game’s biggest names throughout the season, whether by choice or necessity. And with the Ryder Cup returning in 2027, their presence would carry even more weight. Only DP World Tour members can qualify for Europe’s team.
Zarzour believes the PGA Tour should embrace that opportunity rather than rush to bring Rahm back.
“This is the ultimate bridge year. The ratings on the PGA Tour are great. I’m not saying you don’t want Jon Rahm long-term. You do. But for one year, I think the PGA Tour should just say, ‘You know what? Go prove yourself on the DP World Tour.’ I think the partnership they have with that circuit would really appreciate that.”
For Rahm, the arrangement could work just as well. The DP World Tour could offer him a familiar competitive home, a route to the Ryder Cup and the support of European crowds without the uncertainty surrounding a PGA Tour return.
Rahm also has an impressive record on the circuit. He has won the Open de España three times, in 2018, 2019, and 2022. His 2022 victory came with a tournament-record 259. He has also won the DP World Tour Championship a record three times and collected five Rolex Series titles. In 2024, he finished runner-up at the Spanish Open in his first regular DP World Tour start since joining LIV.
The bigger picture also gives Rahm a reason to be patient. In 2028, the PGA Tour plans to split its schedule into an elite Championship Series of around 23 to 24 events and a Challenger Series beneath it. Rahm may not need a special exemption to find his way into the top tier. His 2023 Masters victory already gives him eligibility for the Championship Series, while a full season of DP World Tour competition would help him stay sharp.
The opportunity would extend beyond Rahm. Hatton and McKibbin have also followed him out of LIV, alongside Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, and Lucas Herbert. If the PGA Tour follows Zarzour’s suggestion, the DP World Tour could welcome one of its strongest fields in years, giving European golf a major boost ahead of the Ryder Cup.