With his dispute over $1,170,000 in fines against the DP World Tour, Jon Rahm appears to be tarnishing his own legacy.
“I refuse to pay the fines,” Jo Rahm stated firmly. You might consider his stance illogical, as many in the community are baffled why he wouldn’t want to spend a small amount of money given that he was signed by LIV Golf reportedly for $500 million. However, this isn’t the only reason his position seems somewhat irrational.
Do you remember when he joined the Saudi-backed league for an astounding sum of money, according to reports? Well, at that same time, the golfer also entered into a contract with the men’s circuit wherein certain rules and regulations were agreed upon. Should he choose to violate those stringent guidelines, guess what sort of punishment would be in store. That’s right – a substantial fine!
“I am not a fan of the fines,” expressed the athlete when questioned about the penalty imposed on him by the European circuit. He also highlighted how he has been condemning such penalties consistently. The statement appears contradictory and indicative of double standards, especially considering that Rahm will have to pay “two, three or four times their signing bonuses” if he wishes to terminate or violate his contract.”
A troublesome picture emerges when coupled with his refusal to follow DP World Tour’s rules regarding paying fines for competing in conflicting events. According to reports, a LIV Golf Pro who is also affiliated with the European circuit would be required to pay $98,000 (£75,000) per event if they participate in a tournament that conflicts with the breakaway tour.
The Spanish golfer has participated in 12 events so far but will also compete in the next two tournaments taking place in Chicago and Dallas. Unfortunately, out of the total 14 tournaments he plans to play, 12 overlap with DPWT resulting in a fine amounting to $1.176 million for him. Although this may seem like a trivial amount compared to what he would have to pay LIV Golf if their rules were broken – even if they are not – the question remains whether his involvement with Ryder Cup should take precedence over everything else.
It’s not just Jon Rahm who has been requested to settle fines in the LIV Golf league. Other players such as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were also heavily fined for participating in the separatist Tour. Consequently, these three professionals had even decided to withdraw from European competitions.
The outcome? Nothing less than a snub from the Ryder Cup selection caused them to be overlooked for the wild card picks, damaging their reputation in the process. Nevertheless, late in the game and one week before the biennial event, Sergio Garcia – Rahm’s Spanish colleague – stepped up by offering nearly a million dollars or around $867k according to reports.
Unfortunately, they did not make it onto the team in the end. Doubts arose about whether or not the European team could succeed without legends such as Garcia, who holds the best Ryder Cup statistics ever with 28.5 career points from 10 appearances (25-13-7).
Nothing of that kind occurred and under the leadership of Luke Donald, the team defeated the squad representing United States with a score of 16.5-11.5. Additionally, it would be untrue to say they couldn’t repeat this success in absence of the 2023 Masters Champion since Jon Rahm values Ryder Cup even more than he does being Spanish; illustrating their skipper’s reaction quite clearly.
“The skipper shared that he had numerous conversations with Jon and informed Rahm about the situation. According to him, Jon understands the terms when he joined LIV for DP World Tour. However, it is questionable if he’s desperate for his golfer’s comeback in Ryder Cup team – but don’t expect a straightforward answer.”
According to the European Ryder Cup captain, it is up to him to become eligible. The golfer expressed his willingness to do whatever it takes for the team, and the captain hopes that will happen. This doesn’t seem desperate, especially considering his strong record back in 2023 (excluding Rory McIlroy’s four wins at the tournament).
It is unclear why Jon Rahm isn’t naturally choosing to remain and pay the fine. Alternatively, he could follow in his Legion XIII GC teammate Tyrrell Hatton’s footsteps by appealing for a sanction. Hatton was able to participate in the Belfred British Masters due to similar circumstances. If Rahm appeals, then he may also be able to play at upcoming events such as the Spanish Open, Dünhill Links and Andalucia Masters. The decision made by this two-time major champion remains puzzling indeed!
