The trickle down of LIV Golf’s uncertain future will provide a rare opportunity in just a few weeks. Jon Rahm will compete in the Scottish Open — an event co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour — for the first time since 2022, before he became a LIV golfer.
Rahm is in a different position than most other pros, where he plays the majority of his golf at LIV events, but is playing a specific number of DP World Tour events to meet a membership minimum. The Scottish is a DPWT event, but is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour, which means Rahm could technically win a PGA Tour event in July. The field is made up of a near split in players — half from the Europe-based tour, and half from the PGA Tour. And for Rahm, it’s just the most recent step in a uniquely 2026 pro golf cycle.
Rahm has been an integral part of Ryder Cup Europe for most of the past decade, but as of two months ago was still battling the DPWT — which owns most of the European side of the RC — about how he would retain membership for next season and eligibility for next year’s Cup in Ireland. After a months-long standoff, Rahm agreed to a deal with the DPWT — not too different than deals made by other European LIV players — that would require him to settle any outstanding fines and play five tournaments this year, a few of which were selected by the DPWT.
The DPWT is in the business of strengthening its fields, but is also being selective in the process. It reached agreements with Tyrrell Hatton, Thomas Detry and six other European LIV golfers ahead of the 2026 season that would allow them to play LIV events without being punished by sanctions. The deals hinge upon those players competing in an increased minimum of events as well as a few DPWT-picked events. Detry, for example, is playing in Belgium this week at the Soudal Open, according to the deal he signed. Same for Adrian Meronk.
Rahm fought for months against these adjusted minimums for LIV players, but recently reached his agreement with the league. He always intended to play the Irish Open, the BMW PGA Championship, the Spanish Open and the Dunhill Links, but the new agreement called for him to add a fifth event, and that will be the Scottish Open, as was confirmed over the weekend.
Why does Rahm’s spot in the field matter?
Frankly, it comes on the heels of him going toe-to-toe at a major championship, finishing tied for second, just ahead of the likes of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and others. In other words, golfers he faces only at major championships (as far as stroke play is concerned). Sure, Rahm has maintained European membership over the years by competing in some of its flagship events, but Scheffler, Schauffele and numerous others don’t get over to Europe in the fall. They often don’t go to Dubai in January, either. So in many ways, we haven’t seen that much of Rahm vs. Collin Morikawa, or vs. Jordan Spieth, or vs. Justin Thomas outside of featured groups at the majors. This is another chance to see him duke it out against a full field like he did over the weekend at Aronimink.
It’s hard to know when Rahm officially decided on playing the Scottish Open, but LIV’s recent financial news made it all more likely. He was scheduled to play in LIV’s New Orleans event at the end of June, but that was postponed indefinitely after the Saudi PIF announced it would stop funding LIV after the season. Funding that had already been paid to LIV by the state of Louisiana is expected to be returned.
With a sudden gap in his schedule, Rahm will now play the Scottish the week before the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in England. LIV then heads a couple hours south for its England event the week after the Open.
While a victory in Scotland would not change Rahm’s membership status — he did not resign his PGA Tour membership when leaving for LIV — it would serve as a reminder of the value he no doubt offers any league he plays in. According to DataGolf, he ranks as the No. 2 player in the world. He’s ranked in DataGolf’s top 10 for the past 7.5 years. And as well as he’s played on every tour in his career, he has not toppled the Scottish Open. He finished T55 in 2022 and solo seventh in 2021.
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