$40M-worth LIV Golfer calls out DP World Tour for biased treatment to Jon Rahm while other defectors struggle with fines

LIV Golf star Lee Westwood has called out the DP World Tour for giving biased treatment to Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. He accused the Tour of not treating him and other European professionals the same way as these two.

Westwood, a 25-time winner on the DP World Tour and the eighth-winningest player in its history hasn't played on the circuit since joining LIV Golf in 2022.

In a recent interview with The i Paper, the $40 million-worth English veteran (as per Celebrity Net Worth) spoke in depth about the DP World Tour's unfair treatment.

"The [European] Tour have not treated everyone the same way," he said. "They have not treated Rahm and Hatton the same way they treated me, Poults [Ian Poulter] and [Henrik] Stenson and the like. They have manipulated the situation," Westwood said.

"They haven’t paid their fines either, but their appeal dates have been pushed back until after the Ryder Cup. They have basically kicked the can down the road for those players. They keep fining them but they will be eligible for the team. This is another aspect that has to be addressed if we ever sit around the table," he added.

For the uninitiated, the DP World Tour had imposed fines on LIV Golf defectors and required them to pay to compete on the circuit. While a few players paid the dues, Lee Westwood resigned from their membership along with Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia. Notably, Garcia recently reapplied for his membership after paying his dues.

During the interview, Westwood also pointed out that he had supported the European Tour at a time when other players were opting for the US.

"I played all the little ones, but they just seem to have forgotten that," he said.

Both Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton joined the LIV Golf circuit ahead of the 2024 season but have also continued playing on the DP World Tour. Since then, Rahm has made five starts, while Hatton has made eight on the European circuit.

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When will Jon Rahm play next?

Jon Rahm won the LIV Championship last year (Image Source: Imagn)

Jon Rahm's next appearance will be at LIV Golf Miami, taking place from Friday, April 4, to Sunday, April 6, at Trump National Doral in Miami.

Rahm hasn't won a title this season, but all his finishes have been T6 or better. Last year, he secured two titles and also claimed the Individual Championship in his debut season.

The Spaniard will be aiming for a strong performance this week to build confidence ahead of the Masters Tournament. While he won the Green Jacket two years ago, he had a forgettable outing in 2024, finishing T45.