Golf fans have watched major shifts sweep through the sport over the past two years. But only a few stories have sparked more debate than the paths of some of Europe’s biggest names when they joined LIV Golf. The PGA Tour was brutal but clear: any member who joins LIV will get a one-year ban from the last event played in the league. The DP World Tour had imposed fines, too. However, the paths were not that clear in the European golf landscape.

Some golfers were forced to lose their DP World Tour cards. Yet, officials allowed others to continue playing after they paid fines. For a long time, LIV Golf handled the fines, but not anymore. And today, despite Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton denying paying fines and being part of an ongoing legal dispute against the DP World Tour, they got to play the 2025 Ryder Cup, too. Martin Kaymer, a LIV golfer who joined the league in 2022, feels that it is unfair.

“The thing is, at the beginning, I think we got the most heat, for leaving certain tours and coming here. And the guys who joined earlier, I think, they had the best or the biggest benefits from everything. Which, there’s no judging or right or wrong. Time developed, and therefore certain things played in their hands. Sometimes you do feel like, and this is not towards Tyrrell or Jon, but sometimes you feel like they have different rules for different people. I just find it very strange and I would like to understand it,” Kaymer told Flushing It Golf.

Many elite European golfers who joined LIV have to lose their DP World Tour card. This includes legends like Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, and Henrik Stenson. In fact, Stenson was stripped of the 2023 Ryder Cup captaincy for his move. “Unfortunately, my decision to play in LIV events [means] it is not possible for me to continue in my role as Ryder Cup captain. This is despite me making specific arrangements with LIV Golf to ensure I could fulfil the obligations of the captaincy. While I disagree with this decision, for now, it is a decision that I accept,” Henrik Stenson said about losing captaincy.

While Kaymer says that he is okay with it, he also doesn’t understand how it could be possible. “How can there be, like, a lawsuit going on, and then you play the Ryder Cup? It’s very strange for me as a non-lawyer. But again, I’m happy for them because I see the point of view from the athlete. It’s great to compete wherever you want to play and everybody’s welcoming you with open arms. So, that is obviously an amazing situation to be in,” Martin Kaymer said.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton denied paying DP World Tour fines. And they took their stand, resulting in a legal dispute. It would seem that the dispute would prevent them from participating in the 2025 Ryder Cup. But instead, it was the very reason they were able to play at Bethpage Black, helping Team Europe defeat the Americans.

Without paying fines, both of them would have lost their DP World Tour card. But the ongoing legal dispute meant that the board didn’t ban them. Therefore, they were eligible to play and help repeat the miracle at Medinah. But Kaymer isn’t upset with the DP World Tour despite this unfair treatment. “I can’t say anything bad about the European Tour because they never said anything bad about me,” he said.

Although many DP World Tour members joined LIV, the commotion wasn’t as big as it was with PGA Tour golfers, especially with Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau. Therefore, the tour didn’t say many bad things about any particular European golfer.

Jon Rahm’s legal dispute with the DP World Tour has garnered a lot of traction from fans and other golf pros alike.

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Jon Rahm’s legal dispute with the DP World Tour

The DP World Tour fined Rahm for breaching its “conflicting tournament” regulations. The regulations mention that the DP World members cannot play LIV events opposite DP World Tour tournaments without official releases. After winning a U.K. arbitration case in April 2023, the tour has clear legal authority to enforce fines and short suspensions. The fines are usually up to £100,000 per breach. Those fines for Rahm have reportedly climbed into seven figures, increasing every time he tees it up in a LIV event that conflicts with the DP World schedule.

In September 2024, Rahm lodged a formal appeal against the DP World Tour sanctions. This allowed Rahm to play the Spanish Open, Dunhill Links, and Andalucia Masters, and hit the minimum four-event requirement (Olympics included) to stay Ryder Cup‑eligible. Under the regulations, once a player files this kind of appeal, the sanctions are effectively stayed. It stays that way until an independent panel issues a ruling. In this case, the independent panel is Sport Resolutions in the U.K.

Rahm has been openly critical of the fines and has said he does not intend to pay them. He especially didn’t want to pay for the DP World Tour events he didn’t play in the past. If the independent panel upholds the sanctions and Rahm still refuses to pay, he faces a stark choice. He could either settle the fines to keep his membership or resign from the DP World Tour.