Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton’s Ryder Cup dream saved after LIV Golf gamble but Sergio Garcia left out

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will receive good news regarding their Ryder Cup eligibility after turning down the PGA Tour and DP World Tour in favor of the riches offered by LIV Golf.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will be able to play in next year’s Ryder Cup if they pay fines for being “suspended” while playing LIV Golf.

However, DP World Tour’s new chief executive Guy Kinnings said direct talks between all parties to reach a permanent peace agreement and end the sporting civil war have yet to take place. LIV rebels will be punished on a case-by-case basis with private bans (often one week) and fines of up to £100,000 if they participate in Saudi-backed tour events without being exempt from the DP World Tour. Ru.

Ryder Cup legends Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia are no longer eligible for Team Europe as they have decided to retire. But Kinnings insisted teammates Rahm and Hatton could remain in New York next year if they retain their cards at four high-profile tournaments, including the Olympics.

“The idea that Jon Rahm actually declined to play in the Ryder Cup is false,” Kinnings said. “I don’t think it was. If you look at the standards of qualifications in 2023, I think there was a little illusion. Under the current rules, if a player is European, a member of the DP World Tour, and plays by the rules as they are, i.e. if he does not receive an exemption, he accepts those sanctions and accepts these penalties. Become. This does not mean that players who have approved LIV memberships and hold DP World Tour Memberships will be able to qualify for her A or participate in selection. Current rules allow this. »

This means Rahm could face a suspension if he plays at LIV Adelaide this weekend during next week’s Volvo China Open, even though he was not scheduled to play. “He will serve his suspension throughout this process,” Kinnings added. “He doesn’t have to be present at the event to be banned.”

“Even after these suspensions are lifted, we will still give him the opportunity to play in certain tournaments. There are enough weeks in a year. This is not a flaw; these are the rules we have always applied.

The June 6 framework agreement triggered a shocking truce in the sporting world, but negotiations made little progress. Rory McIlroy will return to the PGA Tour’s policy committee to help broker a deal to reintegrate the sport. But Kinnings said the key parties, including the PGA Tour, new company PGA Enterprises, U.S. investor Strategic Sports Group, the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour, have not yet come together. “Unless you meet with the right people with the right intentions and try to find a solution, you’re never going to get a deal,” Kinnings said. “This is what we need now and as soon as possible. It is a good decision to not only invest in North America but also to invest in PIF.

“Maybe after 2026 he needs to find a product that is suitable for the game and suitable for everyone. Everyone has to sit down and do things they don’t necessarily want, or make compromises, but that’s what it takes to reach an agreement. I don’t know how long it will take. Rory’s desire to return to political consulting is a very good thing. I think his voice will be very important. ”