PGA Tour star reiterates support for Jon Rahm, assures the captain will pick the ‘12 best players’
Jon Rahm on Thursday (September 13) appealed against the fines imposed on him by the DP World Tour. With this, the Spaniard improved his chances of playing in the 2025 Ryder Cup. The 29-year-old golfer’s attempt to retain his membership of the European tour has got him support from several players, including Shane Lowry.
Notably, Rahm appealed against the fines placed against him with hours left to Thursday's 12 noon deadline for entry to the Spanish Open. Ahead of this Lowry had shown respect to Rahm’s wish to qualify for the event and find a way to play on the Ryder Cup. The PGA Tour star reiterated this on Thursday and noted that the international competition is ‘always better’ with the LIV golfer playing.
Lowry stated that he’ll be ‘pretty happy’ to have Rahm playing on the European side. He further exuded confidence that Team Europe skipper Luke Donald would only pick the ‘best 12 players’ possible for the competition in Bethpage.
Speaking to reporters amid the Irish Open on Thursday, Shane Lowry said (as quoted by ASAP Sports):
“I mean, the Ryder Cup Team with Jon Rahm is always better. Yeah, we can be pretty happy with that, as long as he goes on and makes the team now, be pretty happy. But look, the thing is with all this, I'm fully confident that Luke and Edoardo and whoever else is involved will pick the best 12 players possible to go to Bethpage. I really hope I'm in those 12 best players. If I'm not, I'll be cheering them on or doing whatever.
"But yeah, whether it be Jon Rahm, myself or Rory or anyone or any of the guys that are trying to make the team, I just hope it's the 12 best players and I hope we go and beat them.”
It is pertinent to note that the comments from Lowry came just a day after he said Jon Rahm is an “absolute animal” while playing the Ryder Cup. Dubbing the two-time Major champion “unbelievable” in the competition, Lowry said that he would love to have the former on his side.
Jon Rahm appeals against the $1.7 million fines placed on him
Jon Rahm appealed against the fines imposed on him by the DP World Tour on Thursday. The Spaniard, who does ‘not intend to pay’ the $1.7 million fines, has called on the officials to allow him to play in three DP World Tour events which would make him eligible for the 2025 Ryder Cup.
The appeal was made ahead of Thursday's 12 noon deadline approaching for entries to the Spanish Open. Notably, the golfer’s home competition begins on September 26 at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
A DP World Tour spokesman said on Thursday (as quoted by BBC Sport):
“Jon Rahm has a pending appeal against sanctions imposed on him and in accordance with the DP World Tour's regulations, he is eligible to participate in the Open de Espana.”
It is pertinent to note that Jon Rahm must participate in the four European Tour events, the Paris Olympics counting as one, to be eligible for the Ryder Cup.
The LIV golfer currently plans to compete in next month's Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland and the Andalucia Masters at Sotogrande in Spain, apart from the Spanish Open, to become eligible for the Europe vs US competition being played at Bethpage Black in New York next September.