Rory McIlroy, right, says Jon Rahm must be part of the European team that takes on the US in New York in 2025. Getty Images
Rory McIlroy, right, says Jon Rahm must be part of the European team that takes on the US in New York in 2025. Getty Images
Rory McIlroy, right, says Jon Rahm must be part of the European team that takes on the US in New York in 2025. Getty Images
Rory McIlroy, right, says Jon Rahm must be part of the European team that takes on the US in New York in 2025. Getty Images

Rory McIlroy calls for Ryder Cup rule change after Jon Rahm joins LIV Golf


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Rory McIlroy has said Europe will have to “rewrite the rules for Ryder Cup eligibility” after two-time major winner Jon Rahm confirmed he was joining LIV Golf.

After previously saying he would not quit the PGA Tour, it was announced on Thursday that Rahm had performed a U-turn by switching to the Saudi Arabia-backed circuit in a deal thought to be worth around $500 million.

Rahm's former Ryder Cup teammates Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were ineligible for Europe's win over the US in the biennial team competition this year after joining LIV Golf and resigning from the Europe-based DP World Tour.

The next Ryder Cup takes place in 2025 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, and McIlroy was in no doubt that Rahm would be there.

“Jon is going to be in Bethpage in 2025,” McIlroy told Sky Sports after the Spaniard's move was confirmed.

“Because of this decision, the European tour is going to have to rewrite the rules for Ryder Cup eligibility.

“There's absolutely no question about that – I certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team.”

McIlroy had previously said that no LIV players should be able to play for Europe at the Ryder Cup but the Northern Irishman admitted “the landscape of golf changed” when it was announced in June that PGA Tour, European Tour and LIV Golf had agreed a merger.

Under current rules, European players must be members of the DP World Tour – previously known as the European Tour – to be eligible to play.

But the threat of losing the skills of Rahm, who is the reigning Masters champion, has resulted in McIlroy performing his own U-turn.

Ryder Cup 2023 player ratings

“He has got so much talent, he's so tenacious and he's a great teammate in the Ryder Cup," he said.

“The thing that I've realised is that you can't judge someone for making a decision that they feel is the best thing for them.

“Is it disappointing to me? Yes, but the landscape of golf changed on 6 June, when the framework agreement was announced, and I think because of that it made the jump from the PGA Tour to LIV a little bit easier for guys.”

McIlroy also voiced his concerns over the future of golf with tours competing to sign elite players.

“You're basically cannibalising yourself as a sport, sort of the same as what boxing has done with all the different organisations and a few other sports have as well,” he said.

“To me, having all the best golfers under the one umbrella is the best way forward because I think that's really what the public wants.”

Rahm has said that he wants “to maintain my PGA Tour and DP World status”, adding: “I will not give that up and hopefully with the freedom that LIV Golf gives me I can play in both of those tours as well.

“I've expressed how important the Spanish Open is to me in the past, and if we ever reached that point [to play in] certain PGA Tour events, I still want to go and play as long as my schedule allows. So if possible, we'll see what we can make happen.”

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Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

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Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

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Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
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Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10

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There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.

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Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

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TCL INFO

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Punjabi Legends 
Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals

Updated: December 08, 2023, 12:10 PM`