DP World Tour Gives Ultimatum to LIV Golfers, Putting Bryson DeChambeau’s Plans on Ice

Bryson DeChambeau has not played a regular DP World Tour event in almost six years, but he had plans to end that run. The two-time U.S. Open champion has committed to December’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, and his management has reportedly asked the tour about more starts. On Monday, however, DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings released a new statement ruling out the option for players to remain members of both tours, and that statement might put DeChambeau’s European plans on ice.

As reported by BBC Sport, DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings left little room for negotiation.

“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.”

With these sharp comments, the tour has also made it clear that it will not grant membership to anyone intending to play LIV 2.0. A player who conceals their intentions and signs up anyway could give the tour grounds to terminate their membership.

The statement comes at a critical time for LIV and its players. As reported previously, the league has asked its players to make their final commitment to LIV 2.0 by October 25, and most of its stars have held back on the decision. Jon Rahm, Adrian Meronk, and David Puig have already ruled themselves out, with Richard Bland being one player to have publicly committed.

Some players remain tied to existing LIV contracts, and Europe is starting to become the obvious option, with reports that the tour is discussing agreements that would guarantee starts for players who reject LIV’s terms. Others are weighing both paths, with the DP World Tour as a fallback in case LIV 2.0 takes off. That’s exactly the door Kinnings is aiming to close. He has made it clear that players must pick one tour, and anyone who joins LIV after indicating otherwise risks losing their membership. Understandably, the tour wants to avoid a repeat of what happened before.

When LIV 1.0 launched in 2022, DP World Tour members played in its events, and the tour had to fine them. But this time, the tour has set its terms ahead of the 2027 season to avoid a repeat of those incidents.

As of now, around 15 LIV players hold status on the circuit, including Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Victor Perez, and Tom McKibbin. Players without status, like Joaquin Niemann and Thomas Pieters, would need to qualify through Q-School or secure an arrangement guaranteeing them an invitation. Additionally, the conditional releases that once allowed stars to split their schedules are gone for next season.

That leaves Bryson DeChambeau as one of the league’s most important yet undecided names. He has not said whether he will sign, and the bankruptcy filing lists him among the players owed considerable sums. The Telegraph reported that his management has contacted the DP World Tour about extra starts, though he is not believed to be seeking membership. That said, he is already set to play the $6 million Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player Country Club from December 3 to 6. It will be his first regular DP World Tour start in nearly six years.

And this is where Kinnings’ policy will affect his plans the most. Europe looked like the easiest way for DeChambeau to add events around a 10-tournament LIV 2.0 calendar, but that route now requires a direct choice. If he decides to sign with LIV 2.0 by October 25, the DP World Tour will not allow him to retain membership on a limited basis.

After the October 14 hearing and the October 25 deadline, DeChambeau may have a clearer picture of whether LIV 2.0 will survive. He can then decide whether it is worth giving up LIV 2.0 to pursue opportunities in Europe.