Jon Rahm has explained his decision to reject a deal with the DP World Tour in a move that has put his Ryder Cup future at risk. Rahm’s Ryder Cup future is in serious doubt after he failed to join his team-mate Tyrrell Hatton in settling a dispute over a seven-figure fine with the European Tour Group over participation in LIV Golf.

Eight players, including Hatton, are now free to play in LIV Golf events this year after securing conditional releases. All have agreed to pay in full outstanding fines for breaches of tour regulations, participate in additional stipulated DP World Tour tournaments and withdraw all pending appeals. But Rahm remains at odds with the tour, and he has revealed one of the main reasons for this is that he only wants to play in a minimum of four DP World Tour events rather than six.

He said: “Well, my position hasn’t changed in a week. I don’t like what they’re doing currently with the contract they’re having us sign. I don’t like the conditions. They’re asking me to play a minimum of six events, and they dictate where two of those have to be, amongst other things that I don’t agree with.

“If we just go based on that, I’ve been a dual member my whole career, PGA TOUR and DP World Tour. Now with LIV Golf being accepted in the world rankings as part of the ecosystem, you could almost say a three-tour member, even though I’m suspended from the PGA TOUR.

“But I’ve always been a dual member. Never once have I been asked for a release to play either one of those tours. We’ve never submitted a release. So why is it now that we need to be offering this and there’s all these penalties? I understand why they’re doing it. What’s the problem?

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“Given also the fact that two years ago I was asked to appeal the fines so they could figure this out and sort it out, and I did, and we’re running into more problems right now.

“I just don’t like the situation. I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not be dictated what we do. Especially myself. I can’t speak for others; only myself.

“I’ve always committed to play the minimum requirement, and I think I’ve played four events, including the Spanish Open, every year except one as a pro, and I commit to do that. That’s not going to change. I still fully intend to do that.

“Now, with the LIV and the major schedule, I don’t think I’m going to be able to do so until our playoffs or our last events are done. But given on the back nine, right, we have the Omega Masters, I believe, Irish Open, Wentworth, French, Dunhill, Spain.

“Out of those events, I would love to play my four in there given I’m going to the Spanish Open, three of those I am going to play, and I fully intend to play three of those. I would love to.

“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.

“So I don’t like the situation and I’m not going to agree to that. Now, I did tell them, funny enough, lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I’ll sign tonight. They haven’t agreed to that. I just refuse to play six events. I don’t want to, and that’s not what the rules say.”

When asked about Hatton’s decision to agree to the deal, he replied: “I respect Tyrrell’s decision. That’s all I have to say. He’s free to make his own choice, and I fully respect it.”

While Rory McIlroy made a public plea to both Rahm and Hatton to take the deal as he challenged the pair to prove their commitment to the European team, considering they went “really hard against the Americans” after they were compensated for playing in the Ryder Cup for the first time last year.

“We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup,” the Manchester United fan said earlier this year. “We also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There’s two guys that can prove it.”

Asked about McIlroy’s statement, Rahm replied: “I think I responded to that a few weeks ago, and I said, that statement would make a lot more sense if all 12 of us were being asked to pay, not only just the two of us.

“There’s more intricacy that goes into this whole situation, right? While I understand why he’s saying that, we all do it for the love of the game, it’s a different situation than what we usually see.

“I’ll gladly pay my way to go on the Ryder Cup, not have to pay to still be a member of the DP World Tour and fulfill a commitment that I’m fully willing to commit.”

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