Jon Rahm did what he had to do to allow himself an opportunity to save his DP World Tour membership in 2024 and give himself a chance to play on the European Ryder Cup team in 2025.
Rahm has formally filed an appeal with the DP World Tour regarding fines levied against him for competing in LIV Golf League events which conflict with tournaments on the DP World Tour schedule. Those fines would reach a seven-figure sum by the end of the LIV Golf season in two weeks, but Rahm said Wednesday he refuses to pay them.
"Whether they let me play or not is a different thing. I'm not a big fan of the fines," Rahm said. "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."
The DP World Tour reacted to Rahm's comments by saying the Spaniard would be unable to compete in the three DP World Tour events he intended to play in September and October if he does not pay the fines or go through the appeals process. Rahm, sequentially, made the appeal so he could enter the first of those three events, the acciona Open de Espana, by the entry deadline.
Rahm also intends to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland and the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters in Spain to wrap up a three-event swing that will allow him to remain a DP World Tour member going into 2025 -- a requirement for European Ryder Cup team consideration. Rahm had already played in the 2024 Paris Olympics men's golf tournament, which counted as a DP World Tour event. However, a player competing in their national open counts as two tournaments toward the mandated four-event floor outside of the major championships and other co-sanctioned events.
The appeal could still result in a finding that forces Rahm to pay the fines to maintain his membership moving forward and costing him a spot on the 2025 European Ryder Cup team if he doesn't pay them. However, at least appealing the fines he already has been levied allows him time to satisfy the DP World Tour membership requirements he needed to fulfill in order to even have a chance of playing at Bethpage Black.
