Ryder Cup hero casts doubt over his DP World Tour future by confirming he won’t have a card next year

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With the PGA Tour and DP World Tour seasons approaching their conclusions, players are starting to turn their attention to their plans for 2026.

Of course, LIV Golf finished some time ago for 2025.

Some are getting involved with the International Series in Asia. Meanwhile, others will be focusing on the signings their teams will be making for the 2026 season.

There is also the matter of the outcome of the appeal being launched by some players against the fines they have received from the DP World Tour for playing in LIV events.

Former world number one says he will not play on the DP World Tour next year

The DP World Tour should arguably waive the fines to start building bridges. It would also ensure that the likes of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton‘s Ryder Cup places are not under threat.

But, as reported by Bunkered, the appeal is expected to be unsuccessful.

Interestingly, one player has already confirmed that he will not be playing on the DP World Tour in 2026. Speaking to Bunkered, Martin Kaymer has cast doubt over featuring again on the European circuit.

“I’m not going to pick up my European Tour card next year,” he said.

“Hopefully, in 2027 – there’s a Ryder Cup year – If I feel like I have a chance to make the Ryder Cup, then I will join. Otherwise I stick with LIV.

“I have still an exemption for six, seven, eight years through my success that I had in the past. So that gives me all those years. Basically, I just wait until I feel like I’m good enough to compete on a level that I feel like I can be in the Ryder Cup.”

How Martin Kaymer performed in 2025 suggests his days as a Ryder Cup player are behind him

Kaymer will forever have a place in Ryder Cup folklore after holing the putt to retain the trophy at Medinah in 2012.

He is also a former world number one and two-time major champion. So you cannot rule out Kaymer’s career having a renaissance.

However, he registered just two top 10s on LIV in 2025, finishing 37th in the standings.

You would have to go back to 2021 for the last time that the German even played three majors in a single calendar year.

His last top 10 in the majors came in 2016. That was also the year of his most recent appearance in the Ryder Cup.

So his days of making the team as a player appear to be behind him.

Perhaps his focus should instead be on getting back into the fold to boost his chances of being a vice-captain and then maybe even taking on the top job one day.