Rahm wants Ryder Cup spot but won't pay fines

Jon Rahm says he has nary volition of paying his outstanding DP World Tour fines arsenic nan statement complete his Ryder Cup eligibility rumbles on.

The Spaniard was a pivotal fig successful Rome past twelvemonth arsenic Europe regained nan trophy.

But Rahm's engagement successful adjacent year's title against nan United States successful New York remains successful uncertainty because of his move to LIV Golf.

He was fined for playing Saudi-funded LIV tournaments which conflicted pinch DP World Tour events, without requesting support from nan European-based tour.

The 29-year-old needs to play successful 3 much tournaments earlier nan play ends successful November to clasp his rank of nan DP World Tour and beryllium eligible to play astatine Bethpage successful 2025.

Rahm has entered nan Spanish Open, Dunhill Links Championship and Andalucia Masters, but a DP World Tour spokesperson told BBC Sport that until nan fines are paid "he is ineligible to play".

Speaking connected Wednesday astatine LIV Chicago, Rahm said: "I'm not a large instrumentality of nan fines. I don't intend to salary nan fines and we support trying to person a chat pinch them (the DP World Tour) astir really we tin make this happen.

"I intend to play successful Spain. Whether they fto maine play aliases not is simply a different thing."

European players must play 4 DP World Tour events a twelvemonth to clasp their membership. Rahm's information successful nan Paris Olympic Games counted arsenic one.

England's Tyrrell Hatton, who teamed up pinch Rahm to triumph some their foursomes matches astatine past year's Ryder Cup, was successful a akin position aft besides joining LIV.

But Rahm's Legion XIII team-mate was allowed to play successful past month's British Masters aft appealing against his fines.

Players who initially joined LIV successful 2022 appealed against their suspensions and fines and were capable to compete until April 2023 erstwhile an arbitration sheet recovered successful favour of nan DP World Tour and ratified its correct to enforce its regulations.

And erstwhile European skipper Padraig Harrington insists those rules should beryllium adhered to.

"I'm a stickler for nan rules," said nan 2021 captain, who is astatine this week's Irish Open.

"I'm friends pinch Jon but if nan rules are written down, that's conscionable nan measurement it is. The Ryder Cup is bigger than conscionable nan match. It is nan backbone of nan European Tour.

"The European Tour doesn't person a batch of leverage to get players to travel backmost crossed and play here. The Ryder Cup is nan carrot that we usage to get group to travel back.

"It is simply a very reliable business for Luke Donald and The Ryder Cup but if nan 12th feline who qualifies by sticking to nan rules gets bumped out, he's not going to beryllium happy if personification other has not stuck to nan rules. We can't hide that person."

Speaking successful nan contiguous aftermath of Rahm's seismic move to LIV past December, Rory McIlroy said nan European circuit "is going to person to rewrite nan rules for Ryder Cup eligibility" because "we'd surely miss and request Jon astatine Bethpage".

Europe were thrashed 19-9 astatine Whistling Straits connected their past sojourn to nan US successful 2021, and though a 16½-11½ triumph successful Rome avenged that conclusion - pinch Rahm and Hatton going unbeaten successful their 4 matches - 2025's Ryder Cup successful New York promises to beryllium different reliable assignment.

However, Donald told BBC Sport past month "there's not going to beryllium a business wherever we're singling retired 1 personification to alteration nan rule".

He added: "It's rather clear pinch nan argumentation that you either salary nan fines aliases you tin entreaty them, and wrong that entreaty clip you tin still play immoderate DP World Tour events, truthful Jon perfectly knows what is required."