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The DP World Tour will make an official announcement on Tuesday regarding membership applications and tournament invitations for former LIV Golf players, chief executive Guy Kinnings has confirmed. The announcement follows the conclusion of the Race to Dubai campaign on Sunday, which served as the deadline for golfers to lock in their membership status for the 2027 season.
Strengthening Global Tournament Fields
“We’re going to assess [membership applications] and then we’ll make an announcement on Tuesday about that,” Kinnings exclusively told Sky Sports. He emphasized that integrating returning players alongside top tour members, qualifiers from the HotelPlanner Tour, and global partners presents a chance to construct significantly stronger tournament fields throughout the year.
The tour had stated last month that it intended to block membership for players committing to a proposed “LIV 2.0” circuit prior to LIV Golf winding down its operations. Despite debate among current tour members over allowing past LIV players back, Kinnings explained that boosting field strength during periods when dual members are competing on the PGA Tour in the United States benefits promoters, sponsors, broadcasters, and fans alike.
Player Schedules and Major Names
Several former LIV players are expected to feature prominently on the DP World Tour during the upcoming campaign. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are slated to play full-time in 2027 while serving a 12-month PGA Tour eligibility restriction resulting from their recent LIV starts. Meanwhile, recent major champion Bryson DeChambeau has not yet confirmed whether he will accept a tour membership offer.
According to Golf Channel LA, Joaquin Niemann is expected to compete in approximately 15 DP World Tour events using wild cards, with the potential for additional starts should he win a title. Meanwhile, Thomas Pieters, Michael La Sasso, and Carlos Ortiz have received invitations to the season-opening BMW Australian PGA Championship, which runs from November 26-29, as negotiations continue regarding start allocations for former LIV players.
Strategic Alignment and Player Reactions
The developments align with ongoing negotiations between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour regarding global scheduling. With the PGA Tour planning to run concurrent Championship and Challenger Series from February to August starting in 2028, Kinnings noted that the DP World Tour has an opportunity to highlight international events from September through January, with formal updates expected by the New Year.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy stated that the return of former LIV members will make competing for a record ninth Race to Dubai title in 2027 considerably more demanding. “Next year [winning the Race to Dubai] is going to be tough because you’ve got the likes of Jon [Rahm] and Tyrrell [Hatton] and some of these guys coming back [from LIV Golf] and playing a full-time DP World Tour schedule,” McIlroy explained during a press conference, adding that he may expand his end-of-year schedule if needed to stay in title contention.
