Rahm eligible for Ryder Cup after striking tour deal

Jon Rahm will be eligible for next year's Ryder Cup in Ireland after striking a deal to continue playing on the DP World Tour.

The Spaniard had been embroiled in a long-running dispute with the European tour and had refused to pay fines for playing LIV events without official permission since he made his debut on the breakaway tour in 2024.

Rahm, 31, had become ineligible for DP World Tour events and as a member not in good standing would not have been available for Ryder Cup selection next year.

Throughout the dispute, Rahm had argued that a solution would be found.

He will now pay fines believed to be about £2m and be required to play a minimum of five DP World Tour events.

The deal comes a week after Saudi Arabia announced it would not be funding the LIV Golf League beyond the 2026 season.

"The DP World Tour and Jon Rahm have come to an agreement on conditional releases to play in conflicting tournaments on LIV Golf during the remainder of its 2026 season," said a DP World Tour spokesperson.

"This involves payment of all outstanding fines accrued from 2024 to date, along with participation in agreed DP World Tour tournaments (outside the majors) in the remainder of the 2026 season."

Europe's Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald, will be thrilled that the Spaniard will be available for the next tournament at Adare Manor in County Limerick, Ireland, from 17-19 September 2027.

Rahm has played four contests with the continent winning three of them including the last two in Rome and New York.

In those events he was a stalwart for Donald and forged a formidable partnership with fellow LIV star Tyrrell Hatton. They are unbeaten in five matches, celebrating four victories.

In all Rahm has played 17 matches, winning nine, losing five and halving three. In foursomes he has a perfect record, winning all six contests against American pairings.

Hatton is among eight other players who had already agreed terms with the DP World Tour to continue playing LIV events without incurring sanctions. They are required to play at least six events on the DPWT.

Laurie Canter, Tom McKibbin, Thomas Detry, Victor Perez, Adrian Meronk, David Puig and Australia's Elvis Smylie are the others to agree a deal which allows the tour to stipulate two of the tournaments they must play.

The deal struck by Rahm is said to be "akin" to what the other eight players agreed last February.

Rahm's decision comes at a time when LIV's future is shrouded in uncertainty following the withdrawal of Saudi funding.

Last week it was also announced that June's tournament in Louisiana has been postponed, citing hot weather and a date clash with the men's football World Cup being mainly held in North America.

LIV has couched the withdrawal of Saudi funding as an opportunity for "strategic evolution" and a "multi-partner investment model".

It has appointed businessmen Gene Davis and Jon Zinman who have expertise in raising investment.

The breakaway league also announced this week it has retained Ducera Partners LLC as its investment banking advisor to help secure long-term investment partners.