Players who sign up to play on a resurrected LIV Golf tour will be prohibited from competing on the DP World Tour or in the Ryder Cup, its European chiefs have said.
The rebel golf league has secured funding from BC Partners to exit bankruptcy proceedings after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund pulled its backing earlier this year.
Players including Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith have been offered equity in the new business and given until 25 October to pledge their continued allegiance. Rahm’s lawyer said he will not partake in the new season.
Any player who does will be banned from the Europe-based DP World Tour in a tougher policy than previous seasons, effectively ruling them out of Ryder Cup contention.
The tour’s chief, Guy Kinnings, told BBC Sport: “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.”
LIV Golf woes?
The likes of Joaquin Niemann, who has picked up £60m in LIV Golf prize money, does not hold status with the DP World Tour and would instead need to go through qualifying school or find a way onto the PGA Tour.
As part of the bankruptcy deal, LIV Golf sought court authority to terminate existing player agreements, with this point set to be addressed at a wider hearing on Wednesday.
LIV chiefs are hoping for support from US president Donald Trump, having held numerous tournaments at his courses in the past.
“The Trump organisation has been tremendously supportive of LIV Golf,” CEO Scott O’Neil told the Sportico Invest London conference last week.
“We played two events [sic] at their courses, Bedminster and then DC, and we look forward to continuing to be partnering with them.”