Jon Rahm's hopes of playing in next year's Ryder Cup are back on track after he lodged a last-minute appeal over $1 million in fines he has received since joining LIV Golf.
Rahm gave European captain Luke Donald a huge scare on Wednesday when he declared he had no intention of clearing his fines with the DP World Tour – a requirement if he was to keep his membership – and Ryder Cup eligibility. Rahm was a huge part of Europe's win in Rome last year, winning three points from his four matches.
European players must compete in a minimum of four DP World Tour events per season to keep their cards and be eligible for Ryder Cup selection, but Rahm has played just one qualifying event in 2024 – the Olympic Games in Paris in August – due to his commitments with the unsanctioned LIV Golf.
Jon Rahm turns attention to $18m LIV Golf showdown as Ryder Cup future remains unclear Jon Rahm handed Ryder Cup boost after Rory McIlroy's defiant statement Time is running out for the two-time major champion to fulfill his obligations and keep hold of his DP World Tour membership, but he said on Wednesday that he has no plans to clear fines he accrued for playing on LIV. Players are fined in the region of $100,000 by the DP World Tour for each LIV event they participate in that runs concurrently with one of its own, meaning Rahm owes in the region of $1 million since joining LIV in a $500m deal late last year.
"I'm not a big fan of the fines. I don't intend to pay the fines and we keep trying to have a discussion with [the DP World Tour] about how we can make this happen," Rahm said LIV Golf's Individual Championship finale in Chicago this weekend.
Rahm's stubbornness put him on the brink of losing his membership. It is essential Rahm plays in the Spanish Open later this month if he is to meet the four-tournament requirement, with entry for the tournament closing on Thursday.
But common sense finally prevailed with Rahm entering an appeal lodging an appeal over the fines on Thursday morning, enabling him to play on the DP World Tour for the foreseeable future and complete his obligations to keep his card.
READ MORE: Jon Rahm willing to miss Ryder Cup after stubbornly rejecting LIV Golf ultimatum
READ MORE: Brooks Koepka set to venture away from LIV Golf and reunite with Rory McIlroy
A DP World Tour spokesman confirmed: “Jon Rahm has a pending appeal against sanctions imposed on him and in accordance with the DP World Tour’s regulations, he is eligible to participate in the Acciona Open de España presented by Madrid later this month.”
The decision to appeal puts Rahm in the same situation as Britain's Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Meronk of Poland, who followed the Spaniard to LIV Golf before the start of this season. The pair have also appealed their fines and the matter is on hold until an independent panel hears their cases – a process that is expected to run into next year.
Provided he fulfills the requirement to meet the four-tournament threshold by the end of the year, Rahm will be eligible for selection for the Ryder Cup as a captain's pick in 12 months' time as Team USA hosts the Europeans at Bethpage Black in New York, hoping to win back the famous trophy.
Local News
Comments / 0