John Rahm says the PGA and DP World Tours must come to a decision on the inclusion of LIV players for the Ryder Cup together. The USA won’t allow golfers on the LIV circuit at the Ryder Cup watch the Tournament of Champions live on Sky Sports Golf from 7.30pm on January 5
By Amar Mehta
Last Updated: 03/01/23 11:37pm
Jon Rahm finished in second place during last year’s Tournament of Champions
Jon Rahm has called for a joint decision between the PGA and DP World Tours over the inclusion of LIV players in the Ryder Cup.
Speaking ahead of the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii, Rahm was asked how Europe’s team could look later this year with a decision on players on the LIV circuit yet to be made.
The USA have ruled out selecting players plying their trade in the Saudi-backed LIV series, meaning major champions like Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed are among those set to be missing from September’s Ryder Cup in Italy, but it is unclear whether European captain Luke Donald will face similar restrictions.
It means Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter will have to wait on whether they can represent Europe at the Ryder Cup.
Rahm believes “some tough choices” will need to be made, but thinks it would not “be smart to have one team allowing LIV players and one not to”.
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Jon Rahm previously rejected Phil Mickelson’s claim the PGA Tour is on a ‘downward trend’
“Listen, there’s some people that are going to have to make some tough choices, right? A little bit of that is out of my reach. My guess is, I hope the PGA of America and European Tour make a decision together,” Rahm said.
“Even if they decide not to on that side, I think it’s going to give an opportunity for a lot of great young players to show up and have the chance in Europe, right?
“It’s just going to be an opportunity for all of them. We saw a younger US team last Ryder Cup, and they did what they did.
“So I’m hoping these younger guys who have grown up watching the Ryder Cup and seeing their idols do what they do, let’s say, it energizes the team a little bit in any way, and we show up there to win.”
The Ryder Cup, which is live on Sky Sports, takes place in Rome from September 29.
Rahm targets major in 2023
The 29-year-old, who won the 2021 US Open, finished behind Cameron Smith during the Sentry Tournament of Champions in 2022 but won the Mexico Open, Acciona Open de Espana and DP World Your Championship.
It was a good year for the Spaniard and ahead of his first tournament of 2023, Rahm said that while last year was “positive” he hopes to compete better in majors this year.
Rahm did not finish inside the top 10 in any of the four majors, coming closest at the US Open where he finished in a tie for 12th.
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Australia’s Cameron Smith posted the lowest score in PGA Tour history to snare The Sentry Tournament of Champions title last year
Ahead of the tournament in Hawaii, Rahm said: “I’m pretty ambitious, so I’m not always going to accomplish everything I set my mind to. But in this sport, if you’re not winning as much as you would like, you would take it as a bad year.
“So it’s a little bit subjective, in my opinion. I think there’s a lot of things you can do well as an athlete and as a player to consider a positive year. Obviously, you want to win events. That’s there.
“The only thing I didn’t do last year that I wish I would have done is compete better in majors and give myself a better chance. So obviously that being a goal this year, hopefully get number two and give Spain another major.”
Watch the Sentry Tournament of Champions live on Sky Sports Golf from 7.30pm on January 5.
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