Jon Rahm secures last minute Ryder Cup lifeline

Jon Rahm has appealed his DP World Tour fines at the eleventh hour to keep his Ryder Cup bid on track.

bunkered.co.uk understands Rahm lodged his appeal just before Thursday lunchtime’s deadline after it became apparent his chances of playing in the 2025 match at Bethpage Black were increasingly in doubt.

Rahm has followed the lead of his teammate Tyrrell Hatton, who was able to play in last month’s British Masters on the basis that he is appealing the severity of his fines for playing in conflicting LIV events.

The Spaniard has been offered a similar stay of execution by Wentworth HQ and will be able to play the three remaining DP World Tour events required to keep his card.

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A DP World Tour spokesperson said: “Jon Rahm has a pending appeal against sanctions imposed on him and in accordance with the DP World Tour’s Regulations, he is eligible to participate in the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid later this month.”

As planned, Rahm will now be able to play in the Spanish Open, the Dunhill Links Championship and the Andalucia Masters pending the outcome of his appeal.

Like Hatton and fellow LIV player Adrian Meronk, he won’t have to pay the fines until that appeal has been processed. It is anticipated that an independent panel hearing would take several months.

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Just yesterday, Rahm’s Ryder Cup future was hanging in the balance.

During LIV’s stop in Chicago, he stated his intention to play the minimum number of events required to fulfil his obligations to the European circuit.

But since joining LIV, Rahm has steadfastly refused to pay his fines for teeing it up in conflicting Saudi-funded events.

“I’m not a big fan of the fines,” Rahm said on Wednesday. “I’ve been outspoken about the fines. I don’t intend to pay the fines and we keep trying to have a discussion with them about how we can make this happen.”

His last minute appeal now means he will keep his tour card for 2025, meaning he is still eligible to be chosen for Luke Donald’s European team for next September’s match.

The future after his appeal, however, remains unclear.

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.