‘No need to change Europe Ryder Cup eligibility for LIV players’

Hatton and Rahm won both their foursomes matches when paired together at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton remain eligible for selection for Europe’s defence of the trophy next year, as long as they pay fines and serve bans that will follow their move to the rival LIV Golf League.

New DP World Tour boss Guy Kinnings insists there is no need to change existing rules on Ryder Cup eligibility, despite the defection of two of Europe’s mainstays from their victory over the United States in Rome last autumn.

Kinnings began his tenure as Chief Executive of the European Tour Group earlier this month when he succeeded Keith Pelley. The Englishman comes into the job at a time when men’s professional golf is mired in a battle for its future.

When Spaniard Rahm signed his lucrative deal to join the Saudi Arabia-funded LIV set up, his Ryder Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy initially stated that rules will need to be altered to ensure the Masters champion of 2023 remains a part of the team, although he later rescinded that.

But the new man in charge at the Wentworth-based tour believes no such move is required. “If you look at eligibility criteria for 2023, then I think there has been a slight misconception,” he told reporters.

“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.”

Rahm and Hatton remain members of the DP World Tour despite now plying their trade on the LIV circuit. Each time they tee it up on in the breakaway league they have to apply for a release from the establishment tour if they are staging a tournament simultaneously.

The DP World Tour typically refuses such waivers which then puts the players in breach of the rules. Fines of up to £ 100,000 and tournament suspensions are then imposed.