Jon Rahm has been in a race against time to secure his eligibility for the Ryder Cup, with the two-time major champion needing to play three more DP World Tour events this year
Jon Rahm’s journey to securing his place at next year’s Ryder Cup has become more apparent after deciding to play at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship next month.
The LIV Golf champion’s participation for the Europeans at Bethpage Black in a year’s time has been uncertain since he joined the breakaway tour last year. To qualify for the European Ryder Cup team, players must be active members of the DP World Tour and Rahm was at risk of being excluded as time was running out to meet his obligations.
In order to maintain his DP World Tour card, Rahm needs to participate in three more events before the end of the year, and time is rapidly dwindling. The situation was further complicated by hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid fines from the DP World Tour as a penalty for playing on the unsanctioned LIV circuit.
Rahm had the choice to contest the fines, which would allow him to play DP World Tour events prior to an independent hearing a process that could take several months, providing him with plenty of opportunity to reach the threshold to retain his card.
However, Rahm pushed things to the limit, only lodging his appeal on September 12, the final day to confirm his entry for the Spanish Open an event he needs to compete in to realistically have a chance of meeting his membership requirements.
Rahm is set to play his final LIV event of the season in Dallas this weekend, leading his Legion XIII team in the Team Championship. However, come Monday, his focus will shift to Europe. He is scheduled to tee off in his national open at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid on September 26, and he’ll be back in action a week later in the Dunhill Links – which takes place at Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and The Old Course at St Andrews.
The Pro-Am event will see a host of big names, including Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Rahm’s Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton – who finds himself in a similar position to Rahm after joining LIV and needing to meet the four-tournament threshold by year’s end.
Rahm has already ticked off one of the four required events after representing his country in the Olympics. And McIlroy, who has passionately advocated for the 29-year-old to be part of Luke Donald’s team, welcomed Rahm’s efforts to secure his Ryder Cup spot.
“From my understanding, he is following the rules,” McIlroy said. “He appealed the decision or whatever it is that he did. So that makes him eligible, as long as he plays his minimum number of events like members of the tour have to do to be eligible for the Ryder Cup.”
Rahm, after securing his place in the Dunhill Links, must now play in one additional event on the DP World Tour by year-end, facing three choices. The options are dwindling for Rahm as participating in the DP World Tour Playoffs seems unlikely with his limited Race to Dubai ranking points; however, opportunities remain at the French Open, the Andalucia Masters and the Genesis Championship.
With the allure of playing on home turf, the Andalucia Masters is expected to be particularly tempting for Rahm.
