Jon Rahm has embarked on two new journeys in 2024: one as a LIV Golfer and another as a father once again! However, both beginnings have been more challenging than he might have hoped. The Spaniard and his wife announced their pregnancy back in March, but the journey to becoming a father for the fourth time has not been easy, “Kelley and I have gone through quite a bit, and she has gone through even more, being on bed rest among many other things,” revealed an emotional Rahm after his long-awaited maiden win on LIV Golf.

The shift to LIV Golf has not been easy for Jon Rahm, amid scrutiny and the lack of OWGR points. His presence on the European Tour has also been troubled, casting doubt on his chances of being part of the Ryder Cup. Many LIV golfers have withdrawn from the DP World Tour after being levied with hefty fines—just ask Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter. However, the 2023 Masters Champion has still retained his membership on the European circuit. Amid all the chaos, his recent performance at the Olympics has brought some solace. Although it does not completely guarantee him a spot on the team led by Luke Donald, it surely does ignite hope!

The Olympics are to be counted as one of Jon Rahm’s four DPWT starts

According to the rules of Team Europe, Jon Rahm has to participate in at least four DP World Tour events throughout the year to be able to play at the biennial event. However, Rahm’s name has not come up in any of the DP World Tour entry lists, excluding his appearance at Le National Golf. He was one of the seven LIV golfers vying for gold at the Men’s Olympic Golf Championship last week.

Along with David Puig, he was there to represent Spain and also entered the final round with a shared lead with Xander Schauffele. However, it was Scottie Scheffler who bagged the gold, and Rahm secured the fifth position. As reported by a senior golf writer at Mirror Sport, Josh Lees, “Event in Paris counted as one of the four DPWT starts he needs to keep membership. Three more expected, and plans to go to Spanish Open in Oct.”

Lee Westwood is also among the LIV golfers who chose to give up their DP World Tour membership. While sharing his reasons, he also gave an update about Hatton and Rahm and iterated, “I’ve resigned my membership of the European tour right but they [Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton] haven’t and now they’re getting fined a figure. But it’s nowhere near the figure that myself and Ian Poulter and a few others got fined so there’s no consistency in the fines.

”Before the Open Championship, Rahm shared that he was still in talks with the Tour about his inclusion in Team Europe for the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage. He also expressed his wish to participate in the Spanish Open, but given the difficult pregnancy of his wife, the plans for doing so seemed uncertain. “I want to tee it up hopefully at the Spanish Open. At this point, I’m so still waiting on what might happen with my wife and daughter that I don’t know if I’ll be able to play or not.” said the former Masters Champion.

It’s a “will he, won’t he” situation for the Spaniard regarding his Ryder Cup selection. However, for Rory McIlroy, it’s a “he must,” as he believes the Spanish golfer is an extremely important part of Team Europe to take on Team USA at Bethpage. But how can the LIV golfer solidify his position further in this situation?

Jon Rahm’s gateway to be on the European Team

Only seven events are remaining on the DP World Tour calendar, in November and December. This will, of course, take place as soon as the 2024 LIV Golf season ends. While six of them are regular DPWT events, one is the climactic DP World Tour Championship. According to Josh Lees, Rahm already has plans to go to the Spanish Open in October.

Currently ranked as the third-best player, Rory McIlroy is almost certain to see Rahm at Bethpage in 2025, playing on the same team; he even stated, “There’s absolutely no question about that; I certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team.”

Rors and Rahmbo have played together three times. But the question is, with his ongoing contract with LIV Golf and his obligation to participate in all the events, will the Spaniard be able to meet the criteria by being part of three more DPWT events? Stay tuned to find out!