Questions around Rahm’s eligibility for the Ryder Cup intensified this week after he declined the European tour’s offer.
The proposal required players to pay outstanding fines for competing in LIV Golf events without releases, and commit to playing two extra DP World Tour tournaments on top of the four already required for membership.
Speaking at LIV Golf Hong Kong on Tuesday, Rahm accused the tour of “extorting players” by mandating the additional events – but McIlroy doesn’t agree.
“The Ryder Cup is bigger than any one person,” the Northern Irishman said ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Wednesday.
“In my opinion, it’s a really generous deal,” he added, describing it as “much softer” than the conditions imposed by the PGA Tour on Brooks Koepka when he returned.
Koepka was required to pay $5 million to charity, forgo equity shares for five years, miss out on FedEx Cup bonus money this season and earn qualification into the $20 million signature events.
“The European tour can only do so much to accommodate these guys,” McIlroy said. “If you want to play on the Ryder Cup, you have to be a member of the DP World Tour. You have to abide by the rules and regulations.”
“Look, there’s a reason eight of the nine guys took that deal, right?” McIlroy added. “I think it’s a really good deal. Yeah, obviously Jon doesn’t think so, and he’s obviously well within his rights to think that way, but I just don’t see what more the European tour can do to accommodate these guys to retain their membership.”
“The Tour is well within its rights to protect itself as a members organization and as a business. And if you asked any DP World Tour member about the deal that they have cut with the LIV guys, I think they would all say that it was pretty generous.
“Again, there’s a reason that eight of the nine took it, because they probably think the same thing. And one guy thinks a little differently, and that’s a shame.”
