Recently, LIV Golf and its players have been thrown a few bones from the larger golfing world. LIV has partial OWGR points available. LIV Golf has also gotten a partnership with the governing bodies as well. These all still come with some stipulations, with how a LIV event works, the OWGR felt it necessary to only award partial points. There’s also the question about the Ryder Cup. The DP World Tour does allow LIV golfers to play on the European Ryder Cup team. Given that they resolve their fines for joining the league. Jon Rahm was given these fines and refuses to pay them off, and this move is threatening his position for the next Ryder Cup in Ireland in 2027.
Jon Rahm On The Fines
The fines themselves are related to events that Jon Rahm skipped to be in LIV Golf events. There is a compromise that the DPWT is willing to do with Rahm. The deal is that he pays off his previous fines and plays in the required events. Then he would be allowed to play in future LIV events without fear of penalty from the European Tour. Rahm has turned down this deal, according to the Associated Press, as he doesn’t think he should have to pay those fines. Specifically, the fines for playing in LIV Golf events that had no conflicting DPWT event scheduled. For that reason, he has appealed his fines to the Sports Resolution arbitration panel in the UK to clear his fines. The appeal process could mean that Rahm won’t be able to compete in the next Ryder Cup.
The Ryder Cup
The DPWT has linked these fines to Ryder Cup eligibility as part of the wider rejection of LIV Golf when the league was first established. This has been a point of conflict, to the point that other golfers have weighed in. Earlier this year, Rory McIlroy said that Rahm should just pay his fines. McIlroy brought up the discussion about how, in the most recent Ryder Cup, there was controversy over the US team being paid.
“Yeah, absolutely. My thing is, look, this is my opinion. We went really hard on the Americans last year about wanting paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we all sat up there and said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There’s two guys that can prove it. Right, I think that’s- yeah.”
McIlroy’s statement is more appealing to the sentiment he brought up with the Ryder Cup, but Rahm is more focused on how he thinks the fines were not justified.
Rahm’s Appeals
As stated, Rahm has appealed his fines again. The panel overseeing his case has already ruled in favor of the DPWT in 2023. They could rule in his favor, or they could side with the Tour again. If that happens and Rahm still doesn’t pay, he won’t be able to make it to the next Ryder Cup. That decision could also cost Rahm his Tour membership, which would further isolate him to LIV and the majors.
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