Last week’s news on the DP World Tour added more fuel to the fire. The DPWT said on February 21, 2026, that eight LIV-affiliated players had agreed to conditional releases for the 2026 season. And Jon Rahm wasn’t one of them. When asked about it, the Spaniard made it clear that he does not plan to follow their path.

“I don’t know what game they’re trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they’re using us to … they’re using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer, and it’s just in a way they’re extorting players like myself and young players that have nothing to do with the politics of the game,” Rahm said bluntly in Hong Kong.

Rahm’s main point of contention is the requirement for participation. The DPWT has stated that the released golfers will have to participate in additional stipulated tournaments, as well as associated media activity and promotion. Rahm said that he won’t sign a reported six-event mandate, which includes two events set by the Tour. The Masters winner plans to continue supporting traditional events like the Acciona Open de España while also fulfilling his LIV obligations.

When the eight players—Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig, and Elvis Smylie—accepted the deal, Rahm clearly said he had no intention. The 31-year-old also questioned the precedent of this entire discussion.

Throughout his career, the Spaniard has been a member of both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and has never had to request releases between the two. He said the penalties for conflicting events only worsened after LIV came in 2022. But there has also been a financial shift.

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In earlier seasons, LIV Golf covered those fines, but beginning in 2026, that policy changed, placing direct responsibility on players. Those eight paid off their fines. On the contrary, Rahm is challenging the framework itself instead of paying the estimated £2.5 million in fines. If the appeal does not go in his favor, this could directly affect his ability to play in the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.

The frustration dates back to June 2022, when LIV Golf launched, and the DP World Tour began penalizing members for playing LIV events. In April 2023, an independent arbitration panel upheld the Tour’s authority to impose those sanctions. Rahm joined LIV in December 2023 and has since been fined about $3 million. He filed an appeal in September 2024, which allowed him to retain membership and compete in the 2025 Ryder Cup. As of March 3, 2026, that appeal is still open.

Apart from that, Jon Rahm talked about the expansion and how the coming week is looking.

Jon Rahm backs LIV expansion and focuses on form

Rahm liked that LIV switched to a 72-hole stroke-play format in Hong Kong. He said that more rounds make the competition stronger and the product better for fans. He has backed the change from within and thinks that four rounds better represent elite tournament golf and reward consistent play over shorter bursts.

He thinks the only problem is with the logistics. Hong Kong comes first, followed by Singapore. The extra round cuts down on recovery time during travel weeks. He did, however, downplay its competitive impact, saying that the other golfers are already on site for practice days, so the Thursday start is mostly just a formality.

Rahm discussed the rumor that has been circulating about him finishing second in many recent LIV events. He pushed back against treating them as consecutive near misses, pointing out the five-month gaps and that they started on the DP World Tour. The golfer said the pattern shows consistency rather than stagnation.

Still, he was hard on himself at certain times, especially the last Sunday (Adelaide) when he thought the execution went wrong. He sees his two playoff losses and missed conversion chances as proof that he is always competing. For him, being in position is still the best sign that another win is coming up.