New DP World Tour chairman Guy Kinnings says Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will be eligible for Ryder Cup selection as long as they fulfil the current standards that are already in place.
Guy Kinnings, the new CEO of the DP World Tour, believes Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton can stay eligible for Ryder Cup selection next year if they follow the regulations, such as paying fines and serving bans for joining LIV Golf.
Insisting that it is not a loophole, Kinnings stressed that Rahm and Hatton would still need to play the four DP World Tour-sponsored events required for everyone to keep their membership.
Rahm made a seismic shift in December, and his good friend and fellow 2023 Ryder Cup winner Hatton followed suit, joining his new Legion XIII team in the LIV Golf League.
Rory McIlroy has been among those advocating for qualification standards to be changed so Rahm may play in Luke Donald’s European team for Bethpage Black in 2025, but Kinnings feels there is no need.
“If you look at the eligibility criteria for 2023, then I think there has been a slight misconception,” Kinnings told golf media during a conference in London, as reported by Iain Carter of the BBC.
“The reality is, under the current rules, if a player is European, a member of the DP World Tour and abides by the rules – if you don’t get a release there are sanctions and you take those penalties – there is no reason why players who have taken LIV membership could not qualify or be available for selection.”
That myth most likely stems from the early phases of LIV, when Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter, and Sergio Garcia withdrew their DP World Tour memberships after being punished for participating in LIV events.
An independent panel later ruled that fines and suspensions were fair punishment, so Kinnings says they won’t be “changing rules that we’ve had to go to court to defend”.
“All suspensions will count and you have to serve them,” Kinnings added. “And the guys who’ve analysed this in detail have said if they do it the right way, there is no reason why they can’t play in the Ryder Cup.
“We will not modify anything on that basis. Rules are rules, and they apply to all members.
It is now up to Rahm and Hatton to compete in at least four DP World Tour-sponsored events this season in order to maintain their membership, as well as pay substantial fines – Garcia’s were reportedly up to £800,000.
The suspensions are the issue that may be viewed as a loophole, as both Rahm and Hatton will receive a one-tournament ban for competing in the LIV Golf Adelaide this week, but could serve it as early as next week’s Volvo Chinese Open.
This means that both players might serve suspensions in events they had no intention of participating in – but Kinnings insisted, “It’s not a loophole”.
“Because that’s the regulations we’ve always had, and those are the rules we’ll continue to follow. They’ve been tested.
“Rules are for all of the membership and it’s important for people to know how those apply and they apply to every member.”
With a few scheduling changes and a willingness to pay their fines, it appears that Rahm and Hatton will be back on Donald’s Ryder Cup team as they face a difficult road trip to New York.
Jurgen Klopp = worldwide coaching icon has reached the #NFL
New Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan quotes the Liverpool boss as inspiration…#LFC #TitanUp pic.twitter.com/H5dr6tjYEp
— Paul Higham (@SportsPaulH) January 25, 2024