With Jon Rahm’s DP World Tour status still up in the air, questions arise over 2025 Ryder Cup eligibility
Jon Rahm has a problem. He is required to play four DP World Tour events this year to maintain his eligibility, which is required to play in the Ryder Cup next year. Before his final two LIV Golf events this year, Rahm had only played one event that the DP World Tour counted toward the four-event requirement: the Olympics.
Although he won’t be able to play any subsequent DP World Tour events due to LIV Golf commitments, he has booked his place in the Spanish Open a week after LIV Dallas. However, it’s unclear whether he’ll be allowed to play. The DP World Tour fines players for playing LIV events, but Rahm has so far refused to pay the fine, which would theoretically allow him to play the Spanish Open, Andalucia Masters and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to make it four titles.
“I entered [Spanish Open]” he said, according to ESPN. “We’ve been in for a long time. Whether they let me play or not is another matter. I don’t like the fine very much. I think I’ve been upfront about that. I don’t plan on paying the fine, and we’re still trying to talk to them about how we can make this work.
“I’ve said it many times, I’m not going to the Spanish Open for glory or anything else,” he continued. “I think it’s my duty for Spanish golf to be there, and I also want to play in Sotogrande. [at the Andalucia Masters].
“At that time, not letting me play was almost an injustice not only to me but to Spanish golf, so yeah, that’s why we’re trying to talk to them and make it happen,” Rahm said. “I would love to play Dunhill as well. … I would love to be able to play all those events.”
Luke Donald recently said Rahm knows what he’s doing, but he’s hopeful that the man who will almost certainly be one of his stars next year at Bethpage — where the European team will try to break a five-event streak in which the home team has won the Ryder Cup — will be able to tee it up.
“I’ve had many conversations with Jon,” Donald told the Telegraph. “He knew exactly what the deal was. He knew when he signed with LIV about the policies of the DP World Tour. You have to play your best.
“By all accounts, he can pay the fine or he can appeal like some of the others have done, and that gives him the opportunity to do that,” he continued. “It’s really up to him to do that and qualify. He certainly mentioned at the PGA Championship that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to commit to me and the team. I hope that happens.”
