Jon Rahm, 2023 Masters champion, can't escape his Ryder Cup fight

If Jon Rahm does not adhere to the DP World Tour’s rules, he will no longer be a member. Michael Madrid / Imagn Images Share full articleAUGUSTA, Ga. — Jon Rahm cannot seem to evade his looming Ryder Cup eligibility debacle, even at the Masters. Rahm, the 2023 champion, responded bluntly but diplomatically to questions about his disciplinary action with the DP World Tour on Tuesday. He repeatedly stated that he is confident there will be a resolution regarding outstanding fines that will allow him to play in next year’s Ryder Cup. “We’re going to work it out,” Rahm said. The crux of the issue is that if Rahm does not adhere to the DP World Tour’s rules, he will no longer be a member. To play in the Ryder Cup, every European player must be a standing DP World Tour member. Rahm believes he will be teeing it up in 2027 at Adare Manor, but he was not enthused when asked to clarify his predicament. “I think this is not the week to be talking about this, this being the first major of the year and how important this is for the game of golf in general and for all of us,” Rahm said. “We keep talking to them, and we keep trying to negotiate. I have given in quite a bit in a few things, which I talked about at my last press conference.” Rahm has been a part of the past four European Ryder Cup teams, including the lineup that defeated the Americans last fall at Bethpage Black in New York. The DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour, fined Rahm a reported $3 million for competing in conflicting events without a proper release when he joined Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Rahm subsequently refused to pay the penalties, filing a legal appeal that allowed him to continue competing while the verdict was pending. However, in March, the DP World Tour offered an olive branch to its LIV golfers — pay all outstanding fines, commit to six events per year, drop any appeals and never be penalized for playing in LIV events again. Eight players accepted that deal, including Rahm’s European Ryder Cup teammate and friend Tyrrell Hatton. Rahm did not accept the proposal. At the time, the Spaniard called the deal extortion, saying, “I don’t like the conditions.” Most recently, Rahm decided to drop his legal appeal but still refuses to pay the tour’s financial penalties and adhere to its proposed solution. His main sticking point is the six required events. He believes the number is too high and does not fit with his current schedule, which includes his 14 required LIV events and the four major championships. Rahm said he should be able to pick and choose what DP World tournaments he plays, on top of that. However, his choice to avoid a legal battle by dropping the appeal was intentional, albeit risky. “I didn’t think that going the legal route and going to court was good for anybody. So I have faith in us and the DP World Tour. We’re going to find a good solution for both of us,” Rahm said. The choice was a risk because it is unclear — even to Rahm himself — if he is currently eligible to play in DP World Tour events as the issue remains unresolved. He says it does not matter, though. The two-time major champion was not planning on registering for an event on the DP World Tour until September. Regardless, he respects the organization and hopes to work toward a resolution. “If I were unable right now, it doesn’t matter since I’m not planning to tee it up until after August like I have done in my career,” he said. “I do intend to continue to support the DP World Tour. “I’ve been very thankful to be a member. I’ve been very thankful to support the tour and play some wonderful events.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Gabby Herzig is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering golf. Before joining The Athletic, she worked as a breaking news writer for Sports Illustrated’s golf vertical and a contributing editor at Golf Digest. She is a graduate of Pomona College, where she captained the varsity women’s golf team.