Jon Rahm wants to be on the 2025 European Ryder Cup team, and he knows that he can't do that unless he remains a member of the DP World Tour -- it's a pre-requisite for getting on the squad.
Rahm said at this week's LIV Golf Chicago event that he intends to play three DP World Tour events in September and October with the goal of maintaining that membership.
However, Rahm also said that he might not be able to play in the tournaments, including the Spanish Open, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters.
Now, the DP World Tour has confirmed Rahm's suspicions: He won't be allowed to play unless he pays DP World Tour-levied fines he refuses to pay.
The DP World Tour fines its members when they compete in tournaments that its members are not authorized to play. Among those unauthorized tournaments are all LIV Golf events, with the DP World Tour levying a fine in upwards of £100,000 per unauthorized event against other LIV Golf players who have sought to maintain their DP World Tour membership. After Rahm completes his first LIV Golf season in two weeks, he would then owe seven figures sterling in fines. Some LIV Golf players negotiated with the league's owners to pay for those fines as part of a contractual agreement.
The DP World Tour have told me that until Rahm's sanctions are resolved, he won't be able to play in the Spanish Open or their other events.
So unless Rahm chooses to pay his fines or immediately appeal them, he won't be at the Ryder Cup.
The plot thickens.
— Ben Parsons (@_benparsons) September 11, 2024
Rahm, though, said he has not intention of paying those fines.
"Whether they let me play or not is a different thing. I'm not a big fan of the fines," Rahm said Wednesday in the Chicago area. "I think I've been outspoken about that. I don't intend to pay the finds, and we keep trying to have a discussion with them about how we can make this happen."
There seems to be a stalemate on the issue, as the DP World Tour has said they will not allow Rahm to play unless he settles the fines owed. If Rahm is unable to complete in three DP World Tour events before the end of the season, he will be ineligible for membership and could not be picked for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team.
UPDATE, Sept. 12: Rahm has filed an administrative appeal of the fines, as afforded to DP World Tour members, which will allow him to compete without paying the fines while the case is being heard.
