Jon Rahm aims to maintain Ryder Cup eligibility amid tight schedule

Rahm, who made the switch to LIV Golf last year, must play in four DP World Tour events to qualify for the Ryder Cup as an automatic selection or appear for reigning champions Team Europe as one of the captain’s picks.

FILE PHOTO: Jon Rahm of Spain hits his tee at the first hole during day one of LIV Golf. | Photo Credit: AFP

Jon Rahm plans to take part in three DP World Tour events in the coming weeks to ensure he is eligible for the Ryder Cup but the former world number one said on Wednesday he is unsure he will be able to play after refusing to pay their fines.

Rahm, who made the switch to LIV Golf last year, must play in four DP World Tour events -- with the Olympics counting as one -- to qualify for the Ryder Cup as an automatic selection or appear for reigning champions Team Europe as one of the captain’s picks.

But with LIV Golf events clashing with the DP World Tour, the 29-year-old is refusing to pay their fines for playing in the Saudi-backed league without being released.

Rahm said he plans to play in his home Spanish Open later this month, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Andalucia Masters but he is still in talks with the DP World Tour.

“Whether they let me play or not is a different thing. I’m not a big fan of 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,” Rahm told reporters ahead of LIV Golf’s next event in Chicago.

“I don’t go to the Spanish Open for the glory or anything else. I think it’s my duty to Spanish golf to be there and I also want to play (the Andalucia Masters) in Sotogrande.

“At that point, it would almost be doing not only me but Spanish golf a disservice by not letting me play. So yeah, that’s why we’re trying to talk to them and make that happen.”

Rahm also said he would fly back home this month with his wife Kelley Cahill expecting their third child after overcoming a “dark moment” with the pregnancy.

The Spaniard said they might induce labour after the LIV Golf event in Dallas from Sept. 20-22 if the baby does not come earlier, before he flies out to Madrid for the Spanish Open from Sept. 26-29.

“It could be a case where I go home, deliver the baby, and then fly Tuesday or Wednesday to Madrid,” Rahm added.

“So I could have a case of flying Thursday morning and teeing off Thursday afternoon, could have a case of flying Wednesday afternoon and teeing off Thursday morning.

“I’d say right now we have that going on, but if the baby comes early we’ll see what happens. I probably would still try to go back home and spend some time with them before I’m gone for the other weeks.”