The European Tour may have just put the final nail in the coffin for LIV Golf.
Players who opt to compete on the breakaway LIV Golf circuit in 2027 will no longer be allowed to hold membership on the European Tour, officials confirmed on Monday.
It is another massive blow for the Saudi-backed league, which has already faced plenty of uncertainty surrounding its future.
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In recent seasons, some of the world’s biggest names have been granted conditional releases, allowing them to compete on both circuits.
But that is now set to change, with DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings making it clear players will have to make a choice.
And that decision could have major implications for the Ryder Cup, with European players needing to be members of the tour to be eligible for selection.
“Players need to make a choice,” Kinnings told the BBC.
“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.”
In previous years, players including Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton had been granted conditional releases to compete on both the DP World Tour and LIV Golf.
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But that is set to change, with players now having to reveal which tours they plan to play on in 2027, a decision that could impact their European Tour membership.
Around 15 LIV Golf players, including Rahm, Hatton, Victor Perez and Tom McKibbin, currently hold status on the DP World Tour.
And with players having until November 16 to sign up for European Tour membership, some big decisions will need to be made in the coming weeks.
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The latest development comes at an already difficult time for LIV Golf, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September following the withdrawal of financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
And according to golf account Flushing It, the European Tour’s decision could prove to be the final blow for the breakaway competition.
“I can confidently say, having spoken to the majority of LIV Golf players about their potential future on the league, this will be the death blow,” Flushing It wrote.
“I don’t know how LIV can fill the fields without DP World Tour members.”
The account has also reported that world No.608 Richard Bland and No.744 Cameron Tringale have committed to playing in the proposed new-look LIV Golf competition, should it go ahead.
LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil has previously outlined plans to expand the league to a 75-player field, although the latest developments have raised further questions about how that could happen.
New lead investor BC Partners Credit has pledged an initial funding commitment as part of a potential $300 million investment to help relaunch LIV Golf in 2027.
But the competition is also facing the prospect of losing one of its biggest names, with two-time major winner Jon Rahm reportedly set to walk away after refusing to accept new terms.
And with players now being forced to choose between the two tours, LIV Golf’s hopes of rebuilding could be facing their biggest challenge yet.
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