Jon Rahm is upset with the DP World Tour, and Rory McIlroy has responded. The two have played many events together, and they’ve been teammates in a few Ryder Cup outings. Rahm wants to play the Ryder Cup, but he doesn’t like the stipulations put on by the DP World Tour for Rahm, a LIV Golf member, to participate.
Rory McIlroy discusses Jon Rahm situation
Rory McIlroy never left for LIV Golf, but he’s been asked about it and was a frontman for the early vitriol between LIV and the PGA Tour. Now, he’s been asked about his Ryder Cup mate Jon Rahm’s latest comments.
Rahm is aiming to play in the Ryder Cup. However, as a member of LIV Golf, he had been suspended from the DP World Tour. Membership is crucial for Ryder Cup qualification. The DP World Tour has opted to let LIV players back. As long as they pay the fines and agree to six events (two set by the Tour) each year, they can play.
The Spaniard is only interested in playing four events, and he doesn’t want the Tour stipulating two of them. The story has now caught the attention of Rory McIlroy. He said it was “a shame” that Rahm seems to be the only European LIV player unwilling to agree to the new terms.
“In my opinion, it’s a really generous deal,” McIlroy said. He also added that it was “much softer” than the deal Brooks Koepka got to return to the PGA Tour. Tyrrell Hatton and seven others agreed, but Rahm remains the lone holdout.
“The European tour can only do so much to accommodate these guys,” McIlroy continued. “If you want to play on the Ryder Cup, you have to be a member of the DP World Tour. … You have to abide by the rules and regulations.”
“Look, there’s a reason eight of the nine guys took that deal, right?” the golfer added. “I think it’s a really good deal. Yeah, obviously Jon doesn’t think so. He’s obviously well within his rights to think that way, but I just don’t see what more the European tour can do to accommodate these guys to retain their membership.”
Rory McIlroy addresses Ryder Cup controversy
Rory McIlroy believes the Ryder Cup is one of the most important events in golf. That’s why, when Team USA was considering paying players, he spoke up and said he wouldn’t want to be paid for his performance. It means that much to him.
It means a lot to Jon Rahm, too. However, he’s not quite willing to accept what he views as a less-than-stellar deal to return. McIlroy thinks it’s a good deal, but Rahm does not. If he holds out, it might cost him a spot.
“He signed a contract for LIV and he plays 14 events and the whole thing,” McIlroy said. “But the DP World Tour is well within its rights to protect itself as a members organization and as a business. And if you asked any DP World Tour member about the deal that they have cut with the LIV guys, I think they would all say that it was pretty generous.”
McIlroy reiterated that eight of the nine golfers took the deal. “I think we should all be grateful that we have a platform like the Ryder Cup that we can play on and that we can showcase our skills and be a part of something that’s obviously way bigger than ourselves,” McIlroy said. “So, at the end of the day, it’s about the team, and no one player is bigger than the team.”
Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald said he has not spoken to Rahm yet. He did say that it’s “great” to see that eight of the nine prospective players agreed to the DP World Tour’s terms.
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