Captain Luke Donald hopes to have Jon Rahm involved for next Ryder Cup
The Spaniard is in dispute with the DP World Tour over sanctions they have imposed for him playing in LIV Golf events.
Luke Donald hopes he will have Jon Rahm available as he targets an unprecedented third successive victory as Ryder Cup captain in Ireland next year.
The Spaniard is in dispute with the DP World Tour over sanctions they have imposed for him playing in LIV Golf events without obtaining the necessary permissions as a tour member.
Rahm reportedly owes over £2million in fines but has appealed, a process which was delayed so long he was allowed to play in September’s victory in New York.
LIV golfers, including Tyrrell Hatton, agreed to pay all outstanding fines and commit to playing in more DP World Tour events in order to gain conditional releases to play LIV events.
Rahm refused, on Tuesday labelling it as “extortion”, but Donald hopes to have the two-time major winner in his side again after signing up for a third straight stint as captain.
“It’s the first day on the job so I haven’t talked to him yet but obviously I will talk to Jon,” said Donald.
“I don’t really want to comment as I know he has his own reasons but I look forward to catching up with him and I really hope he is available.”
Chief executive of the European Tour group Guy Kinnings said they had followed the rules in place and Rahm’s refusal left him with two options.
“It is pretty straightforward: either he withdraws the appeal and settles fines, or he goes to the appeal process – and that is underway – and then go with whatever decision is made in that hearing,” he said.
Former USA captains Walter Hagen and Ben Hogan led their team to four and three Ryder Cup wins respectively but neither achieved the three in a row Donald is aiming for at Adare Manor in Ireland.
The former world number one said he had weighed up the pros and cons and, with the support of his family and team-mates, he was ready to go again.
“I accomplished a great deal with Rome and New York and you obviously do question the possibility of losing if you go again,” he added.
“Winning and losing is not something you can control. You can give yourself an edge but you have those thoughts ‘What if this doesn’t go right and we are the (first) team to lose at home in 34 years – does that taint anything?’.
“But when you come to the pros there were many more than there were cons and ultimately that is why I am sitting here.”
The USA are hoping Tiger Woods will agree to be captain for the 2027 event, having turned down the opportunity last time out, but Donald would not be drawn on who his opposite number may be.
“It is a little bit hard to comment on something that hasn’t happened yet,” he said.
“Tiger’s name was floated two years ago and Keegan ended up being captain so it’s hard to make those guesses.
“Tiger moves the needle in the game still. Whoever the captain is doesn’t really change my role.
“My role is to formulate a plan to give our team the best opportunity and what the US are doing is kind of inconsequential to that. I look forward to whoever it is.”
