Spanish legend Jose Maria Olazabal believes Team Europe could compete in future Ryder Cups without any LIV golfers through a small change in circumstance - and not the one which involves them becoming eligible for selection again.
Currently, European players who move across to the LIV Golf League are not automatically out of contention for the biennial event but can be fined significant amounts of money and receive multi-tournament bans for their decision, leading them to ultimately resign their tour card in order to avoid further penalties. Yet, if they do so, they are no longer eligible to be a part of the Ryder Cup for the blue and gold team.
The likes of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Paul Casey are examples of this punishment being put into effect, although the experienced group's omission did not harm Team Europe at the most recent event as Luke Donald's dozen secured a 16.5-11.5 victory in Rome.
Two vital parts of that success, however, have since moved to the Saudi-funded circuit - Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. The pair signed up to play for new LIV team, Legion XIII and ended up winning the first team event of the 2024 campaign in Mexico.
In the wake of Rahm's switch, Rory McIlroy called on the eligibility rules to be altered in order to allow one of Europe's best players to tee it up at Bethpage Black in 2025. McIlroy said: "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."
Two-time Masters winner, Olazabal, isn't so sure Rahm should cause such a watershed moment, however. The 1994 and 1999 Augusta winner believes such action should have the appropriate consequences so long as the DP World Tour feels it necessary to protect itself.
Speaking to the Golf sin Etiquetas (Golf Without Labels) podcast in Spanish - translated to English by X account Handicap54 and published via The Telegraph's James Corrigan - Olazabal said: “I respect everyone who has gone to LIV Golf.
"The other part that bothers me is that if you make a decision, it must have consequences. You can’t expect to have the same rights as PGA Tour and DP World Tour players.
“As for changing the rules for Ryder Cup Europe… I don’t know what to tell you. If you miss players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, you could be left naked for one or two Ryder Cups. And? What if you suddenly get three Ludvig Abergs, the Hjogaard [twins]? Turns out we might be able to compete.”
- “I respect everyone who has gone to @livgolf_league. The other part is what bothers me: if you make a decision, it must have consequences. You can’t expect to have the same rights as @PGATOUR or @DPWorldTour players".- “They (LIV) just want a slice of the pie and reach the…February 6, 2024
With seven months until the qualification window for the Ryder Cup opens again, and discussions between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabian PIF continuing towards a seemingly positive conclusion, there remains plenty of time for the situation to change and give Rahm and co. a legitimate path back to the team event while continuing on LIV.
Yet, even if that does not happen, Rahm is apparently optimistic he will be able to meet the minimum quota of four regular DP World Tour events in 2024 to allow him to avoid any great punishment.
He said: “With the DP World Tour, we’ve seen examples of people playing events – that’s definitely a possibility [I can do it]. If allowed, I would love to play the Spanish Open.. and if I qualify, I’d still love to go play in Dubai, in the DP World Tour Championship. There’s certainly events I would like to play.”
