Big Ryder Cup announcement likely to catch Jon Rahm's attention

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have a clear route to the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York after the qualification process was confirmed. 

Ryder Cup Europe outlined the qualification system for the contest at Bethpage Black today (Tuesday). 

The most significant change is that players will be selected from only one list. 

In previous years the team was comprised of players from a European points list, world points list along with wildcards. 

European captain Luke Donald will still have six captain's picks. 

European Tour Group chief executive Guy Kinnings said: "This is a major milestone moment in our journey to the 2025 Ryder Cup. 

"This is without question a much cleaner and simpler qualification system than the ones utilised in previous years and we thank Luke and his vice captains Edoardo Molinari and Thomas Bjørn for their vital input over the past few months."

Donald said: "A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get to this point and everything is now focused on doing all we can to retain the trophy in New York next September."

European players will earn points for majors and events on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. 

Unsurprisingly, no points can be earned through the breakaway LIV Golf League. 

Rahm joined LIV Golf in December 2023 for a reported fee of £450m ($566.4m) and his future in the Ryder Cup was thrown into doubt. 

Rory McIlroy immediately called for the eligibility rules to be changed to accommodate Rahm.  

The Spaniard also admitted that his future in the contest was unclear after jumping ship. 

His fears of missing out were eased when the aforementioned Kinnings confirmed that all he and Hatton needed to do to make the team was pay outstanding fines for competing in LIV events and play a minimum of four events to retain his membership. 

It raised the prospect of Rahm and Hatton playing DP World Tour events at the conclusion of LIV's third season. 

Rahm admitted before The Open his schedule over the next few months is unclear because his wife Kelley is having a difficult pregnancy. 

"I think there's been a slight misconception because the reality is, under the current rules, if a player is European, and is a member of the DP World Tour, and abides by the rules as they currently are - so if you don't get a release and you accept the sanctions - there is no reason why players who've taken LIV membership and maintained DP World Tour membership, could not a/ qualify and or b/ be available for [wildcard] selection," Kinnings previously said.

Qualification for the 2025 Ryder Cup begins at the British Masters at The Belfry later this month. 

It concludes on 24 August 2025. 

The 2025 Ryder Cup takes place over 26-28 September. 

Keegan Bradley has been named as Donald's counterpart. 

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