Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are set to be ruled out of the Ryder Cup after being handed suspensions by the DP World Tour, but how could the European team look without the duo?
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, who were part of Team Europe in the Ryder Cup, took a big risk when they left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf. Now, it seems like their gamble might not pay off.
Both players joined the Saudi Arabia-backed tour in December and January, signing big contracts and teaming up on the Legion XIII team led by Rahm. But this move has put their future in the Ryder Cup in doubt. They had hoped that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf could find a way to mend the split in professional golf, or that the rules for qualifying for the Ryder Cup could be changed to include LIV players.
To be considered for the Ryder Cup, European players must be active members of the DP World Tour. However, the Wentworth-based circuit has suspended its members who have moved to LIV. The Telegraph reports that Hatton and Rahm a two-time major champion have been suspended from the DP World Tour for one tournament for each of the four LIV events they have played in this season.
With 10 more LIV events this season and both men required to play in all of them, more suspensions are likely. This puts them at risk of losing their DP World Tour cards and being ruled out of the Ryder Cup altogether.
Many golfers have suggested changing the qualifying process to allow LIV players and ensure Europe has the strongest team possible. This could mean that Rahm and Hatton, who were stars in the victory in Rome, might join captain Luke Donald’s team at Bethpage Black in New York next year. But if they don’t, here’s how the team might look….
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The sure things
Rory McIlroy kicked off the year with a win at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour. However, since returning to his US base, it’s been tough for the Northern Irishman, with his best finish being T19 in five PGA Tour starts this season. Still, the seven-time Ryder Cup veteran will definitely be on Luke Donald’s team at Bethpage next year.
The same goes for world number four Viktor Hovland. The Norwegian has also had a difficult start to 2024 after an impressive season last year, but he’ll definitely make the cut for Donald’s team.
If the experienced pair of Rahm and Hatton are ruled ineligible for Ryder Cup duty, Donald will likely value the experience gained by Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Matt Fitzpatrick, who will at least get a captain’s pick.
Ludvig Aberg, a 24 year old golfer from Sweden, will also be part of the team. He earned two important points as a rookie in Rome and has had an amazing start to his professional career, which began less than a year ago.
After winning his first PGA Tour at The RSM Classic in November, he quickly climbed to ninth place in the Official World Golf Ranking. We can expect to see him on the European team for the next twenty years.
On the edges
Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka, and Nicolai Hojgaard were all members of the European team in Rome. All four could be involved again, but MacIntyre and Hojgaard might find it more difficult to qualify now that they are full-time PGA Tour members this season.
These four players bring a mix of fresh talent and lots of experience, but their spots for Bethpage are not guaranteed. They’ll need to do well over the next year and beyond to secure a spot on Donald’s team.
Of the four, Denmark’s Hojgaard has had the best start this season, ranking 46th in the FedEx Cup.
Wildcard contenders
Matthieu Pavon from France has had a fantastic start to his first season as a PGA Tour member. He’s currently sixth in the FedEx Cup standings after winning the Farmers Insurance Open and coming third in the ATandT Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
If he keeps playing this well over the next year and beyond, he’ll likely be considered for Donald’s team.
Keep an eye on Belgium’s Thomas Detry and Finland’s Sami Valimaki who have had strong starts in the US. Also, Danish players Rasmus Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen have been doing well on the DP World Tour.
Danny Willett, a former Masters champion, might get into the mix if he can stay injury-free. He’s currently recovering from shoulder surgery.
And remember, as Aberg showed us in 2023, a player can quickly rise to the top and be considered for the Ryder Cup. So, there’s plenty of time for new names to make their mark with 18 months left.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.