Jon Rahm's Ryder Cup future could be in doubt after his move to LIV Golf, but Rory McIlroy is confident the Spaniard "is going to be in Bethpage in 2025."
LIV Golfers who are members of the DP World Tour, which Rahm is, have been dealt financial penalties and tournament suspensions since losing the Arbitration Panel Hearing case earlier this year, prompting many big name Europeans to forfeit their memberships and their chances to feature in the Ryder Cup.
Henrik Stenson was also stripped of the Ryder Cup captaincy for joining LIV Golf, but Jon Rahm is set to be welcomed onto Team Europe despite which tour he plays on when the next match rolls around in just under two years' time.
Speaking to Sky Sports' Jamie Weir, Rory McIlroy suggested that the Ryder Cup rules need to be rewritten to ensure that Rahm is once again a key figure for Team Europe.
“It’s hard to sit here and criticise Jon because of what a great player he is and the experiences I have had with him, but all I will say is I’ll be disappointed not to play against him more regularly in the future," McIlroy told Sky Sports ahead of the Spaniard's move.
"Jon is going to be in Bethpage in 2025 so, because of this decision, the European Tour are going to have to rewrite the rules for Ryder Cup eligibility like, absolutely, there’s no question about that.
"I will certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team."
The pair have become close after featuring on three Ryder Cup teams together and playing in all of the biggest tournaments against each other over the seven years that Rahm has been a pro.
McIlroy says he understands Rahm's move but will miss competing against him.
"I’m going to miss competing against him week in, week out. He’s such a good player, he’s got so much talent, he’s so tenacious, he’s a great teammate in the Ryder Cup," the Northern Irishman said.
"I have nothing but good things to say about Jon. I respect the hell out of him as a golfer and he seems like he wants to live his life the right way.
"He wants to be a good dad; he wants to be a good husband and you can’t judge someone for – the thing that I’ve realised is that you can’t judge someone for making a decision that they feel is best thing for them.
"Is it disappointing for me? Yes, but the landscape of golf changed on June 6th, whenever the Framework Agreement was announced. I think, because of that, it made the jump from PGA Tour to LIV a little bit easier for some guys. They let the first guys take the heat and this Framework Agreement legitimised, basically, what LIV was trying to do and then, I think, it’s made it easier.
“If that’s really what you want to do, because we’ve talked about this a lot, product to product, I don’t think the two compare at all. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour are superior products, I feel, but the landscape of sport is changing and if there is a place for this team golf and franchises and the things, they (LIV) talk about, if team golf works, then maybe it works.
"My opinion is that there is only one team event in golf and that’s the Ryder Cup and that is never going to change.”
Rory McIlroy’s thoughts on Jon Rahm signing up to LIV pic.twitter.com/RsfkbFs7MpDecember 8, 2023
McIlroy then tweeted to reiterate his views that Rahm needs to be on the side, just days after tweeting his support for the golf ball rollback.
McIlroy was questioned as to why he changed his tune on LIV players, ie Rahm, being allowed to play for Team Europe.
The BBC's Tom English wrote: "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. “They are going to miss being here (Rome) more than we’re missing them.”"
McIlroy agreed, responding: "Which is very true… 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."
Which is very true… 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.December 8, 2023
