The DP World Tour has announced a hardline stance that will prevent any golfer who commits to LIV Golf next season from holding membership on Europe's circuit in 2027, marking a significant escalation in the tour's battle with the Saudi-backed breakaway series.
Until now, the European tour had granted conditional releases to selected players, enabling them to compete on both the DP World Tour and LIV Golf simultaneously. That arrangement is now finished. According to BBC Sport, nine LIV players received conditional releases to retain DP World Tour membership for the 2026 season, though those arrangements applied only to that specific year.
Guy Kinnings, the DP World Tour's chief executive officer, has made clear that the era of dual participation is over.
Players need to make a choice. We have rules and regulations which are there to protect our tour and which our members must all abide by. Players who are not willing to comply with our rules and regulations should not be seeking to join our tour.
The decision carries major implications for European Ryder Cup qualification. To be eligible for Europe's Ryder Cup team, players must hold DP World Tour membership—a requirement that will now force LIV-bound golfers to choose between the Saudi league and the chance to represent their continent in 2027, when the Ryder Cup will be held at Adare Manor in Ireland.
Among the players currently eligible to compete on the DP World Tour under one of its membership categories are Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Victor Perez and Tom McKibbin, all of whom have joined or are associated with LIV Golf. According to NBC Sports, Rahm has indicated he will not participate in LIV's proposed 2027 relaunch under the terms being offered, with his legal representatives describing them as unacceptable. He is reported to be owed up to $150m (£113m) for the remainder of the contract he signed almost three years ago.
Other players who received conditional releases for LIV events in 2026 include Laurie Canter, Adrian Meronk and David Puig. Puig has signalled he will not join the relaunched series, while Sergio Garcia's LIV contract has been terminated.
The DP World Tour will ask applicants to disclose their intended tours when membership applications are submitted. According to Golf.com, playing on LIV after declaring otherwise could be grounds for terminating membership.
LIV's uncertain future
LIV Golf's own position remains precarious. The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund withdrew its backing at the end of the season, and the breakaway series is currently navigating Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the United States. The circuit has, however, secured an initial funding commitment for a potential $300m (£227m) investment from BC Partners Credit to help relaunch what it is calling LIV 2.0 in 2027.
LIV Golf chief executive Scott O'Neil has previously argued that
one group of golfersshould not be
restricted from playing elsewhere, a position that now stands in direct conflict with the DP World Tour's new membership rules.
Deadlines and next steps
Both tours have set deadlines for player declarations in the coming weeks. According to ESPN, LIV players must commit to the proposed 2027 league by October 25, 2026, though BC Partners may extend or waive that deadline. Applications for DP World Tour membership for 2027 are due by November 16, 2026, giving players a narrow window to make their choice and formally declare their intentions.
The policy represents a watershed moment in professional golf's civil war, forcing established stars to abandon either their LIV commitments or their European tour status—and with it, their pathway to Ryder Cup selection.
