CHARLOTTE – The division atop the professional game by LIV Golf has complicated things for many in the ecosystem, but there is no greater example of those challenges than the Ryder Cup.
Captains for both the United States and European teams have become accustomed to a steady barrage of LIV Golf-related questions and Luke Donald, the Continent’s two-time captain, has become adept at sidestepping even the most delicate questions, including how he plans to compare players on LIV to those on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour when it comes time to make his picks.
“We do have pretty in-depth data even on the guys on LIV, so we can track. We know exactly how they’re playing,” Donald said Wednesday at the PGA Championship. “Then obviously the majors are important. I think that’s the time when everyone gets together on good golf courses and you have stacked fields. Just to see how they’re playing in those is another point that we take into consideration quite a lot.”
Donald was also asked about Jon Rahm’s and Tyrell Hatton’s appeal of fines and suspensions levied against them by the European tour. Members of the DP World Tour are given a one-tournament suspension and £100,000 fine for every LIV event they play but Rahm’s and Hatton’s appeals are pending. Players must be members of the DP World Tour to play for the European Ryder Cup team.
“I would love for them to be eligible. But again, I’m not involved in that process. That is not my role. I’ll leave that up to [European tour chief executive Guy Kinnings]. I think he can answer that one better than me,” Donald said.
Rahm was asked on Tuesday at Quail Hollow if he’d been given any assurances by Donald that he would be a member of this year’s European Ryder Cup team even if he doesn’t automatically qualify. “That’s a question for Luke. It’s his team. Hopefully I can qualify, and we don’t have to question it,” the Spaniard said.
Donald said he hasn’t made guarantees to anyone regarding this year’s team.
“In terms of Jon, he’s one of the best players in the world, and I would expect him to be on that team, but I certainly haven’t given him those assurances,” Donald said. “He still needs to keep going and playing just like everyone else.”
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley was also asked his share of LIV-related questions this week, including his decision to invite Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, both LIV players, to a meeting last week for potential U.S. players.
“No one cares about what’s going on in PGA Tour-LIV. We’re trying to put the best team together,” Bradley said.
