DP World Tour Bars LIV Golfers From 2027 Tour Membership

By Staff Writer

October 12, 2026

2 min read

LoopGolf

Key takeaways

DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings says players must choose between his tour and the relaunched LIV Golf League starting in 2027.
Roughly 15 players currently hold status on both tours, including Tyrrell Hatton, Jon Rahm, Victor Perez and Tom McKibbin.
Only DP World Tour members will be eligible to play the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
Eight players received conditional releases in February 2026 letting them play LIV without fines; that arrangement is set to end.
LIV Golf says it has secured up to $300 million in new funding, a month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The DP World Tour will not allow any golfer who signs on with the relaunched LIV Golf League to keep membership on the European circuit from 2027, according to chief executive Guy Kinnings.

What did Kinnings say?

Speaking to BBC Sport, Kinnings said "players must make a choice" about where they compete next season. It marks a harder line than the tour has taken so far: in February 2026, the DP World Tour granted eight players conditional releases that let them play LIV Golf events without fines or sanctions. A report from The Athletic in August said the tour was already considering reinstating those penalties for members who play LIV in 2027.

Who is affected?

About 15 players hold status on both tours, among them Hatton, Rahm, Perez and McKibbin. Rahm has already ruled himself out of the new-look LIV Golf League, known as LIV 2.0, and is expected to return to the DP World Tour full-time. Players with no current DP World Tour status, such as Joaquin Niemann and Thomas Pieters, would have to go through Q-School or negotiate a guaranteed-invite agreement, and only if they also commit to staying out of LIV 2.0.

Why does this matter for the Ryder Cup?

The deadline to sign up for LIV 2.0 falls in the next few weeks, and the stakes go beyond tour cards: only DP World Tour members will be eligible for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland. Kinnings' tour is also closing a loophole on intent — a player who says they won't join LIV 2.0 but does so anyway can have their DP World Tour membership cancelled immediately.

The ultimatum lands as LIV Golf's own future is in flux. The breakaway league said it has lined up as much as $300 million in new funding to move forward with its next iteration, a month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.