Rory McIlroy has hit out at Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm after his claims that the DP Tour is 'extorting' him.
Earlier this week, eight LIV players accepted terms from the DP Tour that would give them a pathway to retain their membership and play in 2026 events.
The players agreed to pay all outstanding fines, drop their appeals and commit to playing extra events on tour and in doing so, ensured potential Ryder Cup eligibility and a path back to the Tour.
However, Rahm decided against joining his fellow LIV players in agreeing to the proposal, claiming that the DP World Tour is 'extorting players'.
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Now, Rahm's 2025 Ryder Cup teammate McIlroy has weighed in on the topic, criticising the Spaniard for his decision to decline the ''generous' deal.
As part of the deal, LIV players would have agreed to pay all previous fines for not being granted a release to play LIV events, drop any appeals and accept that they would have to play in an additional two events on top of the increased minimum number of tournaments required to keep DP World Tour which rose from two to four.
"I don't know what game they're trying to play right now...Just in a way they're extorting players like myself and young players that have nothing to do with the politics of the game," Rahm claimed.
However, when asked for his thoughts on the situation, McIlroy didn't shy away from making it clear that he felt Rahm was in the wrong.
He said: "The Ryder Cup is bigger than any one person.
"If you asked any DP World Tour member about the deal that they have cut with the LIV guys, I think they would all say that it was pretty generous.
"There's a reason that eight of the nine took it because they probably think the same thing and one guy thinks a little differently and that's a shame. He's obviously well within his rights to think that way.
"The European (DP World) Tour can only do so much to accommodate these guys."
Tyrrell Hatton, another Ryder Cup 2025 winner, was among the LIV players to accept the proposal, alongside Hatton, Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie.
Should Rahm continue to defy the DP Tour's proposals, there is a strong possibility that he will not be available to play for Team Europe as they look to win an unprecedented third consecutive Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in County Limerick, Ireland.
"Look, the Ryder Cup is bigger than any one person. It's bigger than all of us. We come and go. Players pass through the system," McIlroy continued.
"I think we should all be grateful that we have a platform like the Ryder Cup that we can play on and that we can showcase our skills and be a part of something that's obviously way bigger than ourselves.
"At the end of the day it's about the team and no one player is bigger than the team."
McIlroy's comments came after Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who recently confirmed he would stay on in his role, admitted that he hopes that Rahm will be available for selection next year
Topics: Rory Mcilroy, Ryder Cup, Golf
Ben McCrum