Jon Rahm vows Ryder Cup return, plans ‘to be at Bethpage’
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Jon Rahm attends the NBA game between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors in November 2024.
PHOTO: AFP
DUBAI – Spain’s Jon Rahm has vowed to be part of Team Europe when the Ryder Cup begins this fall, while he awaits the appeal of his DP World Tour fines assessed for playing in LIV Golf events.
The Ryder Cup will be played from Sept 26 to 28 at the Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future but I can tell you my plan is to be on that team at Bethpage,” Rahm said on Jan 14 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic at the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club.
“I’m hoping they don’t try to settle the appeal before the Ryder Cup. I don’t think that would be good for anybody. But my plan is to be at Bethpage.”
The two-time Major winner (2023 US Masters and 2021 US Open) earned three points for Team Europe in the dominant 2023 Ryder Cup win in Rome, Italy, before joining LIV Golf.
Team Europe can consider the 30-year-old Spaniard for the event if he makes four starts on the DP World Tour.
During the appeal of sanctions by the tour handed down in September, Rahm is allowed to play in DP World Tour events and that is why he is hoping that the process drags on.
Poland’s Adrian Meronk and Tyrrell Hatton of England are also appealing against their own sanctions.
The current European points standings is led by Rory McIlroy with 792.07 points. He is the defending champion at this week’s event, which is sanctioned by the DP World Tour.
Rahm, the individual champion on the LIV Golf circuit last season, ranks 17th (275.8) in the standings used to determine Europe’s Ryder Cup roster.
The roster will not be completed until August, but will start with the top six in total points as automatic qualifiers after the conclusion of the British Masters on Aug 24.
Europe captain Luke Donald will also make six captain’s picks.
Rahm is also not holding out hope that he will be admitted to the Ryder Cup by virtue of LIV Golf and the PGA Tour finding common ground in their lagging merger talks.
“It’s hard to tell at this point,” he said, of whether he thinks there will be movement in the LIV-PGA negotiations.
“A lot of us would say that when that framework agreement was done over a year and a half ago, things would be further along at this point.
“So many of us want some kind of resolution to come together and get the best product possible for the consumer.” REUTERS
