Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton must 'jump hurdles' to play Ryder Cup

Paul McGinley says Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will have “hurdles to jump” if they want to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup again.

Rahm and Hatton joined the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League ahead of the 2024 season and in doing so, plunged their Ryder Cup futures into doubt. Much like players such as Sergio Garcia who was fined and suspended from DP World Tour events for competing in LIV events, Rahm and Hatton are starting to tot up the sanctions.

Each LIV tournament Rahm and Hatton play means another DP World Tour suspension and fine, thus building barriers to the pair playing the four DP World Tour tournaments required to keep their memberships in 2025. If you are not a member of the formerly-named European Tour, you cannot represent Europe at the Ryder Cup.

McGinley, who captained Europe in 2014 and sits on the Ryder Cup advisory board, is conscious the biennial dust-up with the USA could be harmed by the ineligibility of two of Europe’s best talents, but also recognises that some players on the DP World Tour believe LIV Golf defectors are the reason for why the sport is “divided.”

“Under the current systems, they’re not going to be eligible,” McGinley said, as per the Belfast Telegraph. “So the rules will have to be changed if they are to be played. But there are a lot of hurdles to jump to get to the place where they’re going to be eligible.

“There’s a very, very strong sentiment among the players who have stayed that they’re the reason the game is divided and the product diluted.

“A diluted product lessens their value. So there’s an argument on both sides. And then there’s the Ryder Cup brand. Is that going to be affected if some top players are ineligible to play?

“So you’ve got to balance making sure the Ryder Cup stays in this top echelon, with the best players playing, but also being fair to the players on both sides. So it’s a negotiating position.”

Will there be a solution to the Jon Rahm-Tyrrell Hatton Ryder Cup conundrum?

The divide that the Irishman alludes to started when LIV Golf was born and held its first event in June 2022. The circuit has poached top stars from the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and while a rivalry has formed between the new breakaway tour and the traditional duo, golf fans have been inclined to pick a side for the most part.

The door was not completely shut for LIV Golf players to compete in the Ryder Cup in 2023. Largely by winning the PGA Championship last year, Brooks Koepka earned his spot on Zach Johnson’s US team which lost to Europe in Rome six months ago.

As he was a member of the PGA of America, he was eligible to compete despite being suspended from the PGA Tour along with many of his LIV colleagues like Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed.

McGinley is regarded by many as one of the best modern-day Ryder Cup captains for steering Europe to victory at Gleneagles 10 years ago and he has been by the side of current captain Luke Donald, discussing the future of the famous match play tournament and the future of Rahm and Hatton who played so formidably together in Italy last time out.

“I’ve been speaking a lot to Luke Donald about potential scenarios, but nothing is written in stone. I’ve loads of ideas about what could happen. But it’s hard when there are so many moving parts at the moment,” he added.

“The five brands that have grown substantially on the back of this disharmony in the game are the four majors and the Ryder Cup. Where the Ryder Cup is going to go now in terms of eligibility is a big challenge for Luke and the tour.

“Are these guys going to be allowed play Ryder Cup? Or are they not? And if they are, how are we going to do that?”

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Matt Chivers

Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.

Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.

Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.

Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.

Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.

What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.