The two-time major winner has become the first high-profile player to leave LIV Golf.
Jon Rahm is now the first major player to leave LIV Golf since rumours claiming the league would shut down began to circulate.
Last month, reports emerged just less than five years after the initial plans for LIV Golf were announced, the Saudi-backed league was at risk of collapse.
Despite assurances from LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, it later was confirmed that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) would end its funding of the PGA Tour rival at the end of the 2026 season.
The news immediately raised questions about what this meant for the future of LIV Golf and for the 57 players competing in the league.
Bryson DeChambeau, who is widely considered to be the face of LIV Golf, has hit out at reports suggesting he was looking to return to the PGA Tour, reaffirming his commitment to competing in team golf.
But now, LIV Golf has been dealt a major blow as Rahm, arguably the other biggest name signed to the organisation, has reached a conditional release agreement with the DP World Tour to return to play on the circuit this season.
As part of the deal, Rahm has paid the remainder of the outstanding fines handed to him for joining LIV Golf in 2024, reported to be around $3m (£2.21m).
The DP World Tour confirmed that as part of the deal, Rahm was required to pay off all of his outstanding fines from 2024 to date, believed to be around $3m (£2.21m).
Crucially, the move means that Rahm will be eligible to return to Team Europe’s Ryder Cup lineup for the 2027 competiton at Adare Manor.
A spokesperson for the DP World Tour said: “The DP World Tour and Jon Rahm have come to an agreement on conditional releases to play in conflicting tournaments on LIV Golf during the remainder of its 2026 season.
“This involves payment of all outstanding fines accrued from 2024 to date, along with participation in agreed DP World Tour tournaments (outside the Majors) in the remainder of the 2026 season.”
Meanwhile Rahm admitted that both sides “had made concessions” to reach the agreement.
Rahm’s move comes less than two months after the Spaniard turned down an offer to return to the European tour, claiming in Match that the circuit was “extorting players” who wanted to return from LIV Golf.
