Rahm “hopeful” on his DP World Tour future: “There's certain events that are special to me that I would still love to support”

Captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII GC plays a tee shot during the final round of the LIV Golf Mayakoba at the El Camaleón Golf Course on Sunday, February 04, 2024 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Photo by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf)

Masters champion Jon Rahm insists he has “hope” the DP World Tour will allow him to play September’s Spanish Open despite his move to LIV Golf.

But the world number 3 does not hold out much hope of being allowed to return to the PGA Tour, even with Rory McIlroy calling for an end to punishment for all LIV Golf renegades looking to support the tour.

The Basque star, who tied for third on his LIV Golf debut in Mexico on Sunday and also led his Legion XIII squad to team success, still believes there might be a chance he could play at Madrid’s Club de Campo, providing there is no clash with one of two unconfirmed season-ending LIV events.

If he qualified, he’d also like to play the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai should be perform well in the majors, which offer him his only route to points.

“I have hope,” the three-time Spanish Open winner said ahead of LIV’s Las Vegas event, which runs from Thursday to Saturday to avoid a clash with Sunday’s Super Bowl. 

“That's all I can say on my part. With DP World Tour, though, we've seen examples of people playing events. That's definitely a possibility.

“I would love to, if allowed and if I can, go play the Spanish Open, and if it doesn't conflict with LIV's schedule, right. 

“But a tournament that both me and Tyrrell (Hatton) are going to miss dearly is Wentworth. If I qualify, I'd still love to go play in Dubai, the DP World TOUR Championship. There's certainly events I would like to play.”

Rory McIlroy has called for an end to punishment for LIV Golf renegades looking to return to the PGA Tour, declaring last week: “If people still have eligibility on this tour and they want to come back and play or you want to try and do something, let them come back.

“I think it’s hard to punish people. I don’t think there should be a punishment.”

Rahm is less optimistic, given the PGA Tour’s stance.

“PGA TOUR, we'll see,” he said. “If there's ever a way back and a way where we can play, even if it's as an invite, I will take it. 

“Like I said, there's certain events that are special to me that I would still love to support.”