The deadline to confirm DP World Tour membership for 2027 ended on Sunday; Guy Kinnings discussed on Sky Sports Golf how they plan to welcome LIV Golfers onto their circuit next season, with more details to be announced in the coming days DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings insists welcoming LIV Golfers back as part of their tournaments is a ‘huge opportunity’ to strengthen its events next season. The DP World Tour announced last month they would prevent membership next season to players signing up to the proposed ‘LIV 2.0’, prior to the rival circuit’s subsequent winding down of operations. The deadline to confirm DP World Tour membership for the 2027 season ended on Sunday following the conclusion of the Race to Dubai campaign, with multiple LIV Golfers set to be more frequently involved over the coming year. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The decision to include some past LIV players has caused debate from current DP World Tour members, although Kinnings believes it can enhance tournaments during times when the golfing calendar is focused on the PGA Tour.
“We’re going to assess [membership applications] and then we’ll make an announcement on Tuesday about that,” Kinnings exclusively told Sky Sports. “For us, it’s the prospect of having incredible talent joining our tour, which already is laden with talent. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “There’s the top 100 that have kept their DP World Tour cards, 15 coming from HotelPlanner Tour, 20 from Tour School. Top players coming from all of our global partnerships – all of that together will lead to significantly stronger fields.
“What it does is it brings it [strength in fields] at the time of year when our dual members are off in the United States and that will help those [DP World Tour] tournaments at that time of year. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “That will make happy promoters, happy sponsors, happy broadcasters, hopefully happy fans. We see it as a huge opportunity and what it will be is at the right time and hopefully great strong fields throughout the year.” Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are expected to play full-time on the DP World Tour in 2027, with golfers ineligible for 12 months on the PGA Tour from their previous LIV Golf start, while Bryson DeChambeau is yet to confirm whether he will accept membership as a recent major champion. Golf Channel LA reported that Niemann would play “approximately 15 DP World Tour tournaments through wild cards, a number that could increase if he wins a title”, having previous won nine times on LIV Golf.
Ex-LIV golfers Thomas Pieters, Michael La Sasso and Carlos Ortiz all have invites to the BMW Australian PGA Championship, the opening event of the new season, with deals reportedly expected to be agreed on how many DP World Tour starts players will get. The PGA Tour is undergoing significant changes to its schedule from 2028, with a Championship Series and Challenger Series running concurrently, while discussions are ongoing to finalise the pathway – and how many cards – that will be available from the DP World Tour to the US-based tour. “I think with the PGA Tour clearly planning from 2028 onwards to focus their tour in that February to August time, it gives us a chance to build and strengthen what we have in that time around the world,” Kinnings added. “It also give us the opportunity from the start of September to the end of January to really have the very strongest tournaments around the world.
We can shine a light on international golf with some stunning fields. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “So, working together with them [PGA Tour], I think there’s a huge opportunity for us both. We’re in the middle of very positive conversations (with the PGA Tour). We’re hoping to have news certainly by the New Year.” Rory McIlroy said earlier this month he hopes the men’s professional game can now stabilise after a turbulent few years, with the world No 2 expecting ex-LIV Golf members to make his hopes of winning a record ninth Race to Dubai title in 2027 a tougher challenge.
“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 in his press conference. “Obviously I’ll be sort of bouncing around a little bit on both the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour, so I think The Race to Dubai next year is going to be incredibly competitive. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “I reckon it’s going to be a little more difficult [to win]. Not that it’s not difficult every year, but even more difficult next year with those guys playing a full-time schedule over here.
I’ll just have to go out there and play well and accumulate points early. “If I have to maybe Beef up my schedule at the end of next year to try to compete with them, if I’m in with a close enough chance of doing it, I’ll do that.” e latest Sky Sports deals or stream golf and more sport with no contract.
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