Rahm eyes DP World Tour events

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Spain’s Jon Rahm wants to play three European golf events before the end of the year to maintain his Ryder Cup eligibility but said that he won’t pay fines levied by the DP World Tour over his LIV golf participation.

The two-time major winner, who joined LIV Golf last December, is facing a deadline to pay the fines imposed by the DP World Tour on golfers who failed to obtain releases to play in the Saudi-backed league events that conflict with tour events.

As he prepared for the LIV Golf tournament in Chicago this week, Rahm said he hoped to play two events in his homeland — the Spanish Open and the Andalucia Masters — and in the Dunhill Links Championship.

But he acknowledged that he wasn’t sure if he would be allowed to tee it up.

“We entered a long time ago,” Rahm said.

“Whether they let me play or not is a different thing. I’m not a big fan of the fines. I think I’ve been outspoken about that.”

“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,” he added.

“I’ve said many times, I don’t go to the Spanish Open for glory or anything else. I think it’s my duty to Spanish golf to be there and I also want to play in Sotogrande.”

There is an apparent avenue for Rahm to play, if he appeals the sanctions. LIV Golf’s Tyrrell Hatton competed at the British Masters after appealing his sanctions, with the penalties to be resolved at a later date.

One person likely watching the situation closely is Luke Donald, who will captain Europe in next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.

Rahm was one of Europe’s star performers in their victory over the United States last year in Rome in the most recent edition of the biennial match play showdown.