Jon Rahm given direct message by Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has reiterated what LIV Golf players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton need to do to make the team.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has made it crystal clear the rules for qualifying for the team won’t be changed to accommodate Jon Rahm.
Rahm played a key role in helping Donald’s side wrestle back the Cup last September at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy.
The Spaniard then decided to up sticks and join the rival in December which immediately put his future in the biennial contest at risk.
Rahm, unlike other European stalwarts who joined the Saudi-funded circuit, decided not to resign his DP World Tour membership.
He did not give up his PGA Tour either after his reported $600m (£476m) move to LIV.
To be eligible for selection, Rahm just has to play a minimum of four events on the DP World Tour.
Ryder Cup begins this week at the British Masters.
Rahm’s LIV teammate Tyrrell Hatton is in the field but the 2023 Masters champion is not.
His schedule over the next few months – after LIV’s third season comes to a close – is unclear.
Rahm said before The Open that his wife Kelley a difficult pregnancy and therefore committing to certain events on the DP World Tour has proved difficult.
Donald told that he wants the biggest pool of players to choose from.
That being said, rules and regulations have to be followed, he said.
“There are some rules and regulations that players, whether on LIV or the DP World Tour, have to satisfy and I’m glad Tyrrell is satisfying his,” Donald said.
“I know he’s planning on playing a few more events over the next few months.”
He added: “It’s quite clear with the policy that you either pay the fines or you can appeal them, and within that appeal time you can still play some DP World Tour events, so Jon absolutely knows what is required.
“He wants to play a few events and be eligible. I hope he does either pay the fines, or appeals and becomes eligible for my team because I would dearly love to have him be a part of that.”
Adjusting for the changing landscape
In August, Ryder Cup Europe revamped their qualifying process.
Going forward, six players will qualify automatically from one list.
In previous contests, that was decided via a world points list and a European points list.
Ryder Cup Europe officials insist the process is simpler.
But some critics have argued that there is too much emphasis on playing in America.
English professional Richard Bland when he spoke to us earlier in the month.
“We had to adjust for the changing landscape,” Donald told BBC Sport.
“A lot of the strongest players will play predominantly in the US, but we wanted to make sure that people were still supporting the DP World Tour so we’ve boosted a little bit the points for the guys who are playing predominantly on that tour.
“It’s a points system that’s going to give the six strongest players, and then we have the six picks for flexibility to round out the team.”