Ryder Cup champion Rory McIlroy believes it’s a ‘shame’ Jon Rahm may not be eligible for the next installment of the event, but didn’t offer much sympathy for his former international teammate.
Rahm was the only LIV Golf star unwilling to agree to the terms of a proposal by the former European Tour which would eliminate future fines.
The deal would have players on the Saudi-backed tour pay all previous fines for not being granted a release to play LIV events. Additionally, they would drop all appeals and the minimum number of tournaments required to keep DP World Tour membership would jump from two to four.
Rahm previously claimed the European circuit was ‘extorting players’ by increasing the requirement to four tournaments.
‘I just don’t like the situation,’ the Spaniard said. ‘I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not be dictated what we do.’
McIlroy offered his thoughts on the situation, saying, ‘The Ryder Cup is bigger than any one person.’
Rory McIlroy (R) said it was a ‘shame’ that Jon Rahm (L) rejected a deal with the DP World Tour
Rahm rejected an offer from the European circuit which increased the required number of tournaments to maintain membership from two to four events
McIlroy believed that the deal was ‘generous’ for the members of the Saudi rebel tour
‘In my opinion, it’s a really generous deal,’ he added – expanding and saying it was ‘much softer’ than what the PGA Tour demanded of Brooks Koepka to return.
Koepka – who announced a heel turn in January – was required to pay $5million to charity, was deemed ineligible for PGA Tour equity shares for five years and lost access to any FedEx Cup bonus money this year.
He’s also been forced to qualify for any $20m purse ‘signature events’ rather than earning automatic entry.
‘The European tour can only do so much to accommodate these guys,’ McIlroy said. ‘If you want to play on the Ryder Cup, you have to be a member of the DP World Tour. … You have to abide by the rules and regulations.’
While Rahm rejected the deal, seven Europeans on the LIV circuit – including Tyrrell Hatton – agreed to the terms.
‘Look, there’s a reason eight of the nine guys took that deal, right?’ McIlroy said. ‘I think it’s a really good deal.
‘Yeah, obviously Jon doesn’t think so, and he’s obviously well within his rights to think that way, but I just don’t see what more the European tour can do to accommodate these guys to retain their membership.’
As for the DP World Tour having a say in which additional tournaments to play, McIlroy needled Rahm by saying, ‘I’m sure Jon doesn’t want to go to South Africa next week’ for a LIV event.
The Irishman positively compared the DP proposal as opposed to Brooks Koepka’s return deal
McIlroy noted that ‘The Ryder Cup is bigger than any one person’ and isn’t worried
Seven European golfers in the LIV Golf Tour – including Tyrrell Hatton – signed the DP deal
LIV players have to play every event on the schedule instead of going elsewhere — Graeme McDowell would not have been excused to play the Irish Open when LIV Golf played in Oregon the same week in 2022.
‘He signed a contract for LIV and he plays 14 events and the whole thing,’ McIlroy said. ‘But the DP World Tour is well within its rights to protect itself as a members organization and as a business.
‘And if you asked any DP World Tour member about the deal that they have cut with the LIV guys, I think they would all say that it was pretty generous.
‘Again, there’s a reason that eight of the nine took it, because they probably think the same thing. And one guy thinks a little differently, and that’s a shame.’
McIlroy spoke at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the same day Luke Donald was selected as European captain for the Ryder Cup a third straight time. Rahm has been on every Ryder Cup team since his debut in 2018.
‘It’s great to see the clarity amongst the other players that have signed the conditional releases and understand that they are available [for the Ryder Cup],’ Donald said.
‘Obviously, I haven’t talked to Jon, so I don’t really want to comment on that yet. I know he has his own reasons. But I look forward to catching up with him and really hope that he’s available.’
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald said he hopes Rahm will be available for him
Rahm’s future with Europe, barring a change of mind, depends on a U.K. arbitration panel that is hearing his appeals. The panel in 2023 ruled in favor of the DP World Tour that it had the right to impose fines as a membership organization.
If it rules in the tour’s favor in the Rahm case, his membership — and Ryder Cup eligibility — would be at risk.
‘I think we should all be grateful that we have a platform like the Ryder Cup that we can play on and that we can showcase our skills and be a part of something that’s obviously way bigger than ourselves,’ McIlroy said.
‘So, at the end of the day, it’s about the team, and no one player is bigger than the team.’
