Jon Rahm responds to Rory McIlroy’s Ryder Cup rule U-turn

Rory McIlroy has made it absolutely clear that he wants Jon Rahm at the next Ryder Cup.

Rahm’s decision to join LIV Golf and put his future in the match in jeopardy sent shockwaves through professional golf last week.

The Spaniard went unbeaten in the 16.5-11.5 victory over the US in Rome, but he will now struggle to play the minimum number of events required on the DP World Tour to be eligible for selection at Bethpage Black in 2025 with his LIV commitments.

Responding to Rahm’s LIV’s defection, McIlroy raised eyebrows when he claimed the Ryder Cup rulebook should be torn up to make sure the Masters champion is representing Team Europe in New York in two years’ time.

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“Jon is going to be in Bethpage in 2025, so, because of this decision, the European Tour are going to have to rewrite the rules for Ryder Cup eligibility,” McIlroy told Sky Sports.

“There’s absolutely no question about that – I certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team.

McIlroy had previously claimed European LIV golfers should not be at the Ryder Cup, so his stance marks a U-turn after he reiterated that stalwarts such as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter weren’t missed this year at Marco Simone.

And Rahm claims McIlroy’s support has made him “almost emotional.”

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“I have the utmost respect for Rory McIlroy and to have his support right away is very, very special,” he told LIV’s Fairway to Heaven podcast.

“It’s almost emotional to hear about it. The Ryder Cup means a lot to me and it’s one of the things that made this decision very difficult for me.

“I’ve always been hopeful that if I made the step, the DP World Tour would maybe adapt the eligibility so we could play it.

“With that being said, I absolutely intend to keep my DP World Tour status and PGA Tour status and be a member if possible if allowed and play in more events.

“So, nothing regarded to that is going to change in my mind. I’m hoping sooner rather than later we hear some news about the Ryder Cup and we get a clear path of how we can make things work.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.