Rory McIlroy has performed a U-turn over his stance on LIV golfers playing in the Ryder Cup following Jon Rahm’s decision to join the Saudi-funded tour.
The Northern Irishman said earlier this year that LIV players should not play for Europe against the United States.
However, after Rahm’s announcement, McIlroy was adamant that the Spaniard plays at Bethpage, New York in 2025.
And in reply to a BBC Sport journalist questioning his change of heart on X, McIlroy replied: “We need Jon.”
McIlroy was responding to a message posted by BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer Tom English, which read: “Rory’s singing a different tune now that it’s Rahm. Didn’t hear this kind of chat from him about the others who joined LIV.”
The world number two replied to that message, writing: “We didn’t NEED any of the others in Rome and we didn’t miss them. We’d certainly miss and need Jon at Bethpage.”
McIlroy’s about turn comes amid a turbulent time in the men’s professional game.
In June 2023 the PGA and DP World Tours announced they had a ‘framework agreement’ to merge with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV and has pledged $2bn (£1.6bn) of support.
That agreement has a deadline of 31 December 2023 to be ratified, although the American government is examining the PGA Tour’s plans to take massive investment from Saudi Arabia.
On Rahm’s move, McIlroy told Sky Sports: “Is it disappointing to me? Yes, but the landscape of golf changed on 6 June, when the framework agreement was announced, it legitimised basically what LIV was trying to do, and I think because of that it made the jump from the PGA Tour to LIV a little bit easier for guys.”
‘Rewrite Ryder rules for Rahm’
World number three Rahm was unbeaten as Europe defeated the United States 16½-11½ to regain the Ryder Cup in Rome and McIlroy, who contributed four points to the victory, had earlier suggested Europe will have to “rewrite the rules” for eligibility.
Under current DP World Tour rules, Rahm would be eligible to play in the next contest but his switch to join the Saudi-funded LIV tour has put his participation at Bethpage in jeopardy.
European players must be members of the DP World Tour – previously known as the European Tour – to be able to play in the Ryder Cup.
Stalwarts of the team Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia were declared ineligible to play in this year’s event after they resigned from the DP World Tour in May in the wake of being fined and banned for their involvement with LIV.
Rahm has signed his DP World Tour membership forms for the 2024 season and says he wants “to maintain” his status on the European-based circuit, while playing LIV events.
The eligibility criteria for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team will not be announced until next year, with the qualification period not beginning for at least another nine months.
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of Rahm’s move, McIlroy said: “Jon is going to be in Bethpage in 2025.
“Because of this decision, the European tour is going to have to rewrite the rules for Ryder Cup eligibility.
“There’s absolutely no question about that – I certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team.”
Rahm keen to retain PGA and DP World Tour membership
Rahm was given honorary life membership of the DP World Tour in 2022 after winning the previous year’s US Open. He won his second major at the Masters earlier this year.
The Spaniard is also a member of the PGA Tour in the US. Players were suspended – or resigned – from the American-based circuit if they chose to compete in a LIV Golf tournament.
On retaining his membership on both the PGA and DP World Tour he said: “I will not give that up and hopefully with the freedom that LIV Golf gives me I can play in both of those tours as well.
“I’ve expressed how important the Spanish Open is to me in the past, and if we ever reached that point [to play in] certain PGA Tour events, I still want to go and play as long as my schedule allows. So if possible, we’ll see what we can make happen.”
Next year’s Spanish Open takes place from 26-29 September. Of the 12 LIV events confirmed for 2024, the final one is in the US from 16-18 August. Rahm is also scheduled to be playing a LIV event in the US the week before the defence of his Masters title in April.
LIV’s American players are eligible for their Ryder Cup team. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka was the only LIV player to appear at this year’s event.
Europe switched captain midway through the two-year Ryder Cup cycle after Henrik Stenson opted to join LIV, with Luke Donald taking over.
Rahm, who had previously ruled out joining LIV, which had its inaugural season in 2022, made his third Ryder Cup appearance for Europe earlier this year.
“He has got so much talent, he’s so tenacious and he’s a great team-mate in the Ryder Cup,” McIlroy said.
“The thing that I’ve realised is that you can’t judge someone for making a decision that they feel is the best thing for them.”
Golf in danger of ‘cannibalising’ itself
McIlroy said he is worried the split between the PGA Tour and LIV “divides eyeballs” on golf.
“Some people like LIV, the majority of people like the PGA Tour, but if LIV start to take a few players each and every year it’s really going to be divided and that’s no good for anyone,” he said.
“You’re basically cannibalising yourself as a sport.
“To me, having all the best golfers under the one umbrella is the best way forward because I think that’s really what the public wants.”
Rahm said his decision “wasn’t anything personal” against the players on the PGA Tour and “hopes the best for the future” of the sport in a “moving and changing environment” which will eventually allow him to play across both formats.
“LIV Golf gives me the freedom to play golf when it doesn’t conflict with the PGA Tour or DP World Tour and I certainly want to be part of that in the future,” Rahm told Fox News.
