Jon Rahm has been given a final warning that he needs to settle his LIV Golf fines – or at least appeal the sanction – by noon on Thursday if he wants to begin to make himself eligible for next year’s Ryder Cup.
Rahm, who received a reported £400 million fee to jump ship to the Saudi breakaway league, fired his own shots on Wednesday in an increasingly acrimonious dispute by declaring that he has entered next month’s Spanish Open and would play in at least two more events to fulfill his Tour membership, but that he also has no intention of paying financial penalties believed to be under £1 million.
Rahm has been told he can’t play in Madrid unless he follows the lead of fellow rebel Tyrrell Hatton, who appeared in the recent British Masters, and agrees to honour the Tour’s sanctions policy. He could do this by simply appealing his fines.
However, Rahm is refusing to do so and has instead gone on the offensive as the clock counts down on his chance to play in New York in 12 months time, either as an automatic qualifier or as a captain’s pick
“I have entered [the Spanish Open] and intend to be there and it would not only be a disservice to me but to Spanish golf if they don’t let me,” he said. “I am not a fan of the fines and don’t intend to pay them.”
Rahm, one of Europe’s top performers, clearly expects Wentworth HQ to buckle but the Tour maintains that will not be the case. A DP World Tour spokesperson told Telegraph Sport: “Jon has outstanding sanctions for breaches of the Tour’s conflicting tournament regulation. Until those outstanding sanctions are resolved, he is ineligible to play in a DP World Tour event.”
Insiders confirmed that despite Rahm’s prowess the Tour is determined to stick to their guns and enforce its rules. The opportunity is there for Rahm to appeal the fines, just like Hatton has, and leave that debate for another day. And with the likes of another Ryder Cup player in Bernd Wiesberger having paid the fines in full to keep his Tour membership, it is aghast that Rahm wants the rules to be changed for himself.
Rahm’s plan is also to play in The Dunhill Links and the Andalucia Masters. This would see the two-time major winner reach his minimum quota of four DP World Tour events.
“I’m still talking to the DP World Tour. I intend to play in Spain,” Rahm added ahead of LIV Chicago. “Whether they let me play or not is a different thing.”