Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton's Ryder Cup dream saved after LIV Golf gamble but Sergio Garcia left out

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will be able to play in next year’s Ryder Cup if they pay fines because they are serving “suspensions” while playing on LIV Golf.

But new DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings has revealed direct talks have yet to take place between all sides to strike a permanent peace deal to end the sport’s civil war. LIV rebels are issued with undisclosed suspensions on a case-by-case basis - often of one week - and fines of up to £100,000 for playing events on the Saudi-backed tour without releases from the DP World Tour.

Ryder Cup legends Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia decided to resign and therefore become ineligible for Team Europe. Yet Kinnings insisted team-mates Rahm and Hatton can still be in New York next year as long as they keep their cards by playing four counting events, including the Olympics.

“The view that Jon Rahm has effectively written himself out of the Ryder Cup is wrong,” said Kinnings. “I don’t think it was ever the case. If you look at the qualification eligibility criteria for 2023, I think there has been a slight misconception. Under the current rules, if a player is European and is a member of the DP World Tour and abides by the rules as they currently are - so if you don’t get a release, you accept those sanctions and take those penalties - there is no reason that players who have taken LIV membership and maintain membership of the DP World Tour, could A qualify B or be available for selection. The current rules would allow it.”

This means that Rahm can serve his suspension for playing LIV Adelaide this weekend for next week’s Volvo China Open - even though he had no intention of playing. “He serves his bans throughout the process,” Kinnings added. “He doesn’t have to enter an event to be banned

“When those suspensions are served, we will still allow him the ability to play in certain events. There are enough weeks in the year. It is not a loophole - these are the rules we have always had.”

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton could return to the Ryder Cup team for next year
(Image: Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images)

The June 6 framework agreement caused a shock ceasefire in the sport but little progress has been made in negotiations. Rory McIlroy is ready to return to the PGA Tour policy board to help strike a deal to re-unify the sport. But Kinnings revealed that the key parties - PGA Tour, the new PGA Enterprises company, US investors the Strategic Sports Group, the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour - have yet to meet together.

“Until you get into a room with the right people with the right intent and try and find a solution, you are never going to work out a deal,” said Kinnings. “This is what is needed right now as quickly as we can. To have PIF investment along with North American investment is a good solution.

“We have got to find a product, probably beyond 2026, that is good for the game and works for everyone. Everyone is going to have to sit down and do things they don’t necessarily want to and compromise but that is what you do to strike a deal. I don’t know how long it will take. Rory being willing to commit to re-join the policy board is a really good thing. I think his voice will be really, really important.”