LIV Golf star raises questions over Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton’s Ryder Cup eligibility

Martin Kaymer questions Ryder Cup eligibility for Rahm and Hatton

Martin Kaymer, a two-time major champion, has been part of four European Ryder Cup teams during his career. However, over the past five or six years, Kaymer has struggled with his form.

That dip in performance was a factor in his early decision to join LIV Golf back in 2022. Kaymer believes that players who joined LIV after the initial wave had it easier than those who made the move earlier. He spoke about this with Flushing It, explaining his view that timing played a significant role in how players were treated.

He said: “The thing is, at the beginning, I think we got the most heat, for leaving certain tours and coming here. And the guys who joined earlier, I think, they had the best or the biggest benefits from everything. Which there’s no judging or right or wrong. Time developed and therefore certain things played in their hands.

“Sometimes you do feel like – and this is not towards Tyrrell or Jon – but sometimes you feel like they have different rules for different people. I just find it very strange and I would like to understand it.”

Kaymer did admit he could see both sides of things though: “How can there be a lawsuit going on and then you play The Ryder Cup? It’s very strange for me as a non-lawyer. But again I’m happy for them because I see the point of view from the athlete.”

The German golfer went on to say that it was ‘great’ being able to compete wherever you wanted to play but highlighted how playing in Saudi Arabia limited access to other events across other tours:

Sanctions on Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton appealed by duo

A loophole in the DP World Tour’s rules allowed both Rahm and Hatton to feature for Europe in the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, despite the ongoing controversy surrounding their eligibility.

The pair had been ruled ineligible due to sanctions from the Tour for participating in LIV Golf events, which should have barred them from playing in the event.

But after appealing those sanctions, they were given clearance to play at Bethpage, even though a final ruling from the Sports Resolutions arbitration panel has yet to be made.

NBC Sports reported that neither player has paid fines issued by the DP World Tour for their involvement with LIV Golf events. However, they continue to compete on various tours around the world without facing immediate consequences.

This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Kaymer, who questioned why there seemed to be one rule for some and another for others.

Some have suggested that this was a deliberate move by DP World Tour officials because of how important both players are to Europe’s Ryder Cup hopes. Rahm and Hatton were always expected to be key figures when looking at Europe’s predicted team.