As the battle for world ranking points continues, Jon Rahm has officially weighed in — and he’s not mincing words.
In a candid press conference ahead of LIV Golf Chicago, the 2023 Masters champion addressed LIV’s newly re-submitted application for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status, offering both support and some very pointed suggestions on what needs to happen next.
“At least get our foot in the door,” Rahm said. “Then we can see what changes can be made.”
The June 30 application marks LIV’s second attempt at OWGR recognition. Their first bid was rejected — and eventually withdrawn — due to format concerns, including no-cut events and limited field sizes. OWGR Chairman Trevor Immelman confirmed that the new application will be given “fair scrutiny,” but offered no details.
Rahm, however, has ideas.
Rahm’s Fix List for LIV’s World Ranking Problem
Rahm floated a number of “completely hypothetical” ideas to align LIV closer to OWGR criteria — if needed.
- Add a fourth round to go from 20 to 25 points.
- Introduce a cut — if the league grows big enough.
- Expand the league from 13 teams to 15 to create a 60-player field, allowing more traditional tournament structures.
“If you add a cut, things like that… with the teams, I think it would be a little odd,” Rahm admitted. “But if the league were to expand… now you can make something work.”
While Rahm insists he hasn’t had formal talks with LIV’s leadership on potential changes, his suggestions signal that some flexibility may be on the table — even if it means tweaking LIV’s unique identity.
Ryder Cup Update: No Fines, No Apologies
But Rahm didn’t stop there. In a stunning turn, the Spaniard also confirmed he has no intention of paying DP World Tour fines for playing in LIV events — a condition that may be required to retain Ryder Cup eligibility.
“Absolutely not,” Rahm said bluntly when asked about paying the fines.
Tyrrell Hatton has reportedly taken the same stance. Both players are appealing their sanctions — but won’t have their cases heard until after the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
That timing is drawing scrutiny from critics who accuse the DP World Tour of giving Rahm and Hatton “favorable treatment” by delaying a resolution until it’s too late to impact team selection.
Will Rahm Be On Team Europe?
“There’s nothing I can confirm nor deny,” he said, adding that Captain Luke Donald has been texting regularly — but hasn’t made any promises yet.
“He’s probably waiting until the end of August… to start making statements like that.”
With OWGR points still out of reach and Ryder Cup eligibility in limbo, Rahm finds himself in no-man’s land — a superstar without a clear path forward on two major fronts.
He’s made it clear he believes LIV deserves a seat at the table, and that he’s still very much open to representing Europe next year.
But if neither door opens soon, golf’s fractured future may stay that way — even with its biggest names pushing to rebuild the bridge.
