Why is Jon Rahm not playing in The Players Championship 2024? Eligibility explored
Jon Rahm will not be playing at The Players Championship 2024 as he has been banned from PGA Tour events due to his affiliation with Saudi-backed LIV Golf, which he joined in December last year.
Rahm has claimed victory in 11 PGA Tour tournaments, including two Majors. He has also won 10 European Tour events and reached the number one spot in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) in July 2020.
In 2023, Rahm enjoyed one of the most successful years of his career, winning four PGA events, including The Masters, and contributing to the winning Ryder Cup team. However, at the end of the year, he parted ways with the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf. This marked the end of his tenure on the PGA Tour.
In December 2023, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced Rahm's suspension from the circuit. He released a memo saying (as quoted by Sky Sports):
"The Policy Board established a new ranking - called the 'FedExCup Playoffs & Eligibility Points List' - that removes players who are under suspension for their participation in an unauthorised tournament or their association with a series of unauthorised tournaments from the FedExCup Points List.
"In accordance with the PGA Tour Tournament Regulations, Jon Rahm has been notified that he is suspended and no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play due to his association with a series of unauthorised tournaments," he added.
The 2024 Players Championship is scheduled to commence on Thursday, March 14, with its opening round, and conclude on Sunday, March 17.
The prestigious tournament boasts a stellar field, including Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, and Max Homa. However, Rahm is not the only top-ranked player absent from the field this week, as two-time Players Championship winner Tiger Woods missed the 5 pm registration deadline last week.
Has Jon Rahm ever won The Players Championship?
Jon Rahm has had a successful career so far and has 20 professional wins under his belt at the age of 29. The Players Championship, however, is not a part of that list.
The PGA Tour event is one of the renowned golf events, which held its first edition in 1974. Jack Nicklaus won that tournament by registering a two-stroke win over J.C. Snead.
Although Rahm hasn't won the tournament so far, some of his LIV golfers have impressive records at the event. Cameron Smith, who now plays on LIV, emerged victorious at the event in 2022 just before joining the Saudi circuit.
Tyrrell Hatton, who signed a deal with LIV earlier this year, finished runner-up at The Players Championship in 2023. Meanwhile, Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri was the runner-up in 2022 when Smith won the tournament.
For Rahm, his best finish at the event came in 2021, when he finished in a tie for ninth position.