Jon Rahm is making his Hero Dubai Desert Classic debut this week, and it is expected that three of the four Legion XIII LIV Golf team members are also in the field with Tyrrell Hatton joining his team captain and Tom McKibbin expected to officially announce his move in the near future.
The two-time major winner addressed the media on Tuesday morning and though he wasn’t asked directly whether McKibbin had put pen to paper, he was asked what his impressions of the Holywood youngster and whether he believed the move, should it be confirmed, would be positive for McKibbin’s growth as a player.
“I can’t tell you what a good and bad environment is for Tom,” he replied. “I think that’s an answer for him. I think it is a good environment as any, really. It’s just as competitive as pretty much any other tour. You have to go out there and play against some of the best players in the world, so yeah, it’s an environment in which you can grow very rapidly, as well.
“He’s a fantastic player, and the possibilities for him are endless whatever he decides to do.”
Rahm’s eligibility for Ryder Cup action at Bethpage in September has been one of the main talking points surrounding the Spaniard since his shock move to LIV in late 2023, and having appealed his DP World Tour-imposed fines late last year, he remains eligible until such point as the appeal is heard. Should that appeal actually come before the courts and the ruling go against Rahm, he would be forced to pay fines, believed to be in the region of £1 million, and he’s hoping any resolution doesn’t come before teams Europe and USA clash in New York.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future but I can tell you my plan is to be on that team at Bethpage,” he responded when asked if he intended to pay the fines should the hearing come prior and the ruling not in his favour.
He was pressed further, and this time went into a little more detail though stopped short of giving a definitive answer.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said, “and I’m hoping they don’t try to settle the appeal before The Ryder Cup. I don’t think that would be good for anybody.
“But my plan is to be at Bethpage.”
Rahm was a vocal supporter of having Sergio Garcia on the European team prior to the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, though Garcia was ineligible for selection having resigned his DP World Tour membership having lost his appeal against the fines imposed.
The record Ryder Cup points winner has again declared his interest in competing this year, and Rahm has reiterated his belief that Garcia would be a great addition to the European team.
“Yeah. I mean, for people that see him any given day, Sergio Garcia can a can hit it tee-to-green better than anybody on the planet. It’s that simple. He’s still that good and he’s still very valuable,” he explained.
“Right, I understand the change in circumstances. I get it. But at the end of the day, being Spanish and a friend and a mentor, I’m obviously going to be biased towards him. And I would love to see him in that team room but who knows what’s going to happen.
“I also understand we did an incredible job in that last Ryder Cup having a newer team and coming together and performing the way we did. So I hope, I believe that there’s a place for Sergio in there. I think there will be a place for Sergio on the Ryder Cup any given time. It’s just a matter of time now is letting the clubs do the talking.”
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