Jon Rahm is in the midst of a real power struggle with the DP World Tour, with the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor the main source of friction.
Rahm rejected a deal as the DP World Tour attempted to create a pathway back for LIV golfers.
In February, it was announced that eight LIV golfers had been ‘granted release’ by the DP World Tour to compete on the Saudi-backed golf league.
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The golfers who accepted the terms on the deal will be forced to play six DP World Tour events throughout the season.
In turn, that will make them all eligible to represent Team Europe at the Ryder Cup.
However, Rahm complained about the DP World Tour’s offer, suggesting that he doesn’t want to be held to ransom regarding when and where he plays golf.
With the Ryder Cup now only 18 months away, there is a very real prospect that Rahm may not be allowed to participate at Adare Manor.
Jon Rahm could stand down in battle with DP World Tour as Ryder Cup draws closer
Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner discussed Rahm’s current situation when speaking on The Golf Channel Podcast with Rex and Lav.
As Rahm’s stand-off with the DP World Tour continues, Hoggard suggested that the Spaniard may well be the first to blink.
“They’ve already sent the offer out,“ Hoggard explained.
“It’s not as though they can circle back around and say, ‘Okay Jon, we’re going to try to give you another offer’. Because then the eight players who agreed this deal are going to want to sweeten their deal.
“So I don’t see how that happens. I think this turns into a staring contest.
“And as we get closer and closer to next year’s Ryder Cup, I actually think it’s probably gonna be Jon Rahm who blinks.“
Hoggard makes a great point there. The DP World Tour surely won’t be able to change the terms of the deal they have already offered.
If they did, the other eight players who accepted the original terms would then want their deals sweetened as well.
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Rory McIlroy suggested last week that the deal being offered to Rahm is a good one.
McIlroy’s comments about Rahm could well lead to a fractured Ryder Cup team-room, and that’s clearly something the Europeans will want to avoid.
“I tend to agree with what Rory said about this situation last week,“ Hoggard said.
“He turned the question back on the reporter and said, ‘What else does the DP World Tour need to do?’
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“They had negotiated, in good faith, and created a very clear pathway back, as Rory pointed out, and whatever sanctions Rahm faced weren’t nearly as much as what Brooks Koepka faced to come back to the PGA tour.
“Firstly, Koepka essentially played a $5 million fine that went to charity. He can’t play in the biggest events – the signature events.
“He can’t get bonuses this year. He can’t get player equity. All of those things are, quote unquote, punishments.
“And so when Jon Rahm says that no, this feels like extortion, I don’t know.
“I tend to disagree with what he’s saying right here, because I don’t know what else the DP World Tour could possibly do.“
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