The Round Table: Opportunity rejected but no sympathy for Jon Rahm
Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.
Last week, Luke Donald was appointed captain of the European Ryder Cup team for the biennial matches in 2027. It will be his third consecutive time leading the Euros and both previous times were successful. Was there any reason for Ryder Cup Europe to look elsewhere and what’s your take on Donald giving it another go?
Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Why tamper with success? Luke is clearly respected and appreciated by his players, and after two kicks at the can, clearly knows what to do, what buttons to push, and how to win. As long as he wants to keep being Captain, I’d say let him stay until he falters.
Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (craigloughry): No reason to look elsewhere; Donald’s unbeaten streak and player chants for “two more years” sealed it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it—let’s see if he pulls off a hat-trick and makes the Americans cry again!
Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: Europe seems to have the Captaincy worked out. Go with a winner! Luke could become the first three-time winner. He has a nice, quiet, confident manner. He has been an excellent player, having won the Accenture Match Play Championship. He has a great relationship with his players. He’s a perfect choice!
TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I think it’s an obvious choice if he still wants to do it, as they all love him and he’s had success. Why mess with a good thing? He clearly loves the responsibility and honour, and I like that they ran it back.
Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: There have been a couple of other long-term captains over the pond, but they were in the day when the Yanks were totally dominant. Seems that Donald gets the modern game and the new Ryder reality. And he certainly has the room, so he should be good again for the non-Americans.
Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: There was no reason to look elsewhere for a Captain and where the heck would they look anyway. All of the former pending captains left for LIV Golf. As for Donald, there’s something to be said for going out on top and not pushing his luck. However, good for him for trying to keep the streak going.
The DP World Tour recently reached agreement with eight LIV golfers that would see them pay outstanding fines and therefore be eligible to play on the European Tour and qualify for the Ryder Cup. The lone holdout was Jon Rahm who objected to the Tour’s stipulation that he play a minimum of six DP World Tour events, rather than the standard four. He also says he won’t pay his fines which total more than three million Euros. If the two sides can’t come to some sort of accommodation, Rahm will forfeit his ability to play the Ryder Cup in Ireland in 2027. What’s your take on Rahm’s position?
Deeks: Boo hoo, Jon Rahm. You’re a fine player, but you’re not in a category all your own. You made your decision – you’re being offered an olive branch. If you don’t like it, go open a restaurant and be nice to the patrons.
Loughry: I liked Rahm, now I just think he’s whiney, gimmie gimmie gimmie. He’s brilliant but stubborn, and his recent play is showing signs of slippage, that’s a fact. Everyone else swallowed their pride (paid their fines), yet he’s dining on principle instead? If he wants to wear Europe’s colours at Adare Manor, he’ll need to play by the rules. Otherwise, he can watch in the comfort of his own home—because the Ryder Cup table will not have a seat left for him. Sorry Jonny…
Schurman: Rahm made a very difficult decision to join LIV. He knew the ramifications and knew there probably wasn’t a path back. When one was offered, he thought the demands were too high for him to return. I agree. Many athletes hold out for free agency or join other leagues, only to return a year or two later. Why aren’t critics of LIV up in arms about them? This garbage about loyalty only holds water if you include the politics of Saudi Arabia, but I don’t. Sports are sports. Countries are making war without provocation or proper authority. Where is the criticism of loyalty in that circumstance?
Rule: I don’t think this looks good on Rahm. I’m not sure what his reasoning is, as he seemed to get the best deal of everyone when he signed on, 3 million obviously isn’t going to put a dent in his pocketbook, and you’d think he would want to play the Ryder Cup, so it doesn’t make sense. I hope they can work something out; it would be great to see him on the team at Adare Manor.
Quinn: Rahm seems to keep bitching about self-inflicted wounds. He hardly had any room left in his offshore accounts for the Hong Kong payout (guess the Saudis not familiar with ROI philosophy) so the fine owing would just be a few days interest payments. So, that’s not it. Trying to channel Seve as the hard done by Spaniard isn’t working either. If he doesn’t wake up and stop whining, he won’t be missed in Ireland.
Mumford: Maybe he’s holding out to see if his appeal of the fines is upheld but short of that, there’s no plausible reason Rahm shouldn’t run through the door that’s been opened for him. Two more Euro events? That should be a no-brainer for someone who has promoted the European Tour for years and made a point of growing the game.
The almost fifth major kicks off this week in Ponte Vedra and that means we’ll get the State of the Tour address from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. Since taking over from Jay Monahan last summer, Rolapp has indicated he sees a much different Tour in the future and this week’s address may shine some light on the specifics. What do you think or hope Rolapp will say about the Tour moving forward?
Deeks: I have no idea what’s coming, but I don’t support really any of the changes of the last couple of years… especially the Signature events, which render several longstanding events as insignificant also-rans. What a way to treat your loyal and perennial supporters. Meanwhile, the “product” itself is becoming less compelling, less exciting, more bland and more confusing (playoffs, FedEx Cup, OWGR points for LIV, forgiveness for LIV, some cuts/no cuts, etc.). They’ve tampered too much and now the public is tuning out and turning off.
Loughry: I’m hoping Rolapp says the Tour’s future means fewer boardroom battles and more quality events. Maybe he unveils a schedule that keeps fans awake past the front nine, a streaming deal that doesn’t need three logins (for those that do), and prize purses that still fit in a briefcase. I hope he talks less “strategic alliance” and more “actual golf, you know the product we all tune in for”. And maybe—just maybe—Tiger commits to one more season… because hope is all we have at this point.
Schurman: Rolapp can make or break the TOUR. On the other side are years of tradition and belief in long-standing practices. On the other hand, big $$$$$. One consideration is what golf means to people in medium- to small-market communities, and the support for various charities that have been the backbone of many events, as well as loyalty to certain long-term sponsors. Rolapp faces the challenge of maintaining sponsors, fans, and principals who will guide the future. He has already indicated a significant reduction in eligible players and fewer tournaments. But golf is a very sensitive, fragile market. I remember when Brent Musberger and Joe Buck were called upon to do TV coverage. Both were terrible. Golfers watched with the sound turned off or didn’t watch at all. Strangely, it takes a lot of mental strength and physical endurance to play one tournament. If the new calendar places either mandatory or high-profile events too close together or for prolonged periods, players can and will burn out. Once fans and players become acclimated to $20M purses, they become immune. Rolapp believes a more condensed, higher-prize schedule is the answer when most fans watch for the pure love of golf.
Rule: I hope he expands the fields back to 120 at least with a cut to give more players a chance to make it. I also hope he places more importance on one of the oldest events on the schedule, the Canadian Open.
Quinn: Well, the media room at Ponte Vedra is not big enough (for his pronouncement or ego?), so Rolapp will take the stage at Tour HQ to share his take on the future. Given his NFL background and all his pronouncements to date, guessing that he will further cement his vision of an elite (elitist?) shortened Tour calendar focussed on TV ratings/revenue with every effort not to collide with the NFL. But all the other great and soon to be greats can’t all play on the Korn Ferry and DP Tours. The second tier events — they are already painfully obvious and suffering — have to be given some kind of carrot (and it better be good), many for decades of loyalty and all of them for tens of millions of dollars in promotion, perpetuating the Tour’s ridiculous tax status, and untold savings in free labour (thanks volunteers, that’ll be $50 for the shirt). Rolapp and the Tour its own self face many tough and possibly pivotal questions. Bet he doesn’t answer half of them.
Mumford: It’s sad that Rolapp’s focus is on making a return for the rich owners when for so many years the Tour’s focus was on charity, community and competition. Unfortunately, and mostly thanks to Jay Monahan’s incompetence, The Tour has backed itself into a corner and any change is bound to make some stakeholders unhappy. My wish would be for Rolapp to make all the events except the majors and The Players equal in purse size and size of fields. With a cut too. If he needs to eliminate a few events to shorten the season, so be it, but that sends a very bad signal to some longtime sponsors and host communities. Better to take a long-term approach and lose a few through attrition. The Tour is currently a two-tiered structure. Hope Rolapp has something for the players, sponsors and communities that have been rendered surplus.
