Breakfast Ball #1: Rockin' Around the Merger Deal

Welcome to the first edition of the Breakfast Ball from Blue Horizon Golf! We will be following all news related to the European Ryder Cup team and the golfers that could represent Europe in Bethpage Black in 2025. Thanks for joining us!

Jon Rahm’s Move to LIV Golf amid PGA/PIF Merger Uncertainty Leaves Ryder Cup Eligibility in Doubt

Jon Rahm has been a key member of the European Ryder Cup team since his debut in 2018, producing a number of historic moments including this incredible putt from Marco Simone last year. However, his move to LIV Golf could put his eligibility for the 2025 Ryder Cup in jeopardy.

A number of golfers who have had Ryder Cup success in the past including Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald, and Lee Westwood have been ineligible for any participation in the Ryder Cup as a player, captain, or vice captain since their move to LIV. However, Rory McIlroy has come out in support of Rahm in recent weeks admitting that the “European Tour are going to have to rewrite the rules” to ensure Rahm plays in 2025.

There is still a huge amount of confusion surrounding the current state of the PGA/PIF merger that was initially announced 7 months ago. An investor group led by Fenway Sports Group want a piece of the pie, and the players want their voice heard in any significant transaction.

Jay Monahan has committed to getting a deal done in 2024, but with Ryder Cup qualification scoring likely to start in September, where will that leave Rahm & co. once the LIV calendar finishes up in late August? Brooks Koepka played for the US in Rome last year, and you would expect Rahm to get into the European team as long as the Tour can shake off their stubbornness and change the rules.

Chris Kirk Wins The Sentry after Final Round 65

Chris Kirk won The Sentry with a score of -29 after fending off impressive challenges from Sahith Theegala and Jordan Spieth. The win gave him 700 FedEx Cup points and $3.6M, a nice first week of January by all accounts.

From a European point of view, Sepp Straka (-23), Tyrell Hatton (-22), and Matt Fitzpatrick (-22) all broke the top 20 as they started their season with a solid performance in Hawaii. Hatton commented on the difficulties of traveling to Hawaii after a December where he may have indulged a little more than usual like many of us do. It was disappointing to not see any Europeans break into the top 10, but that can be expected with more than 24 hours of travel to get to Hawaii.

• Justin Rose finished the week with a 61 that tied the course record

• Ludvig Åberg will look to take his Sunday form forward to the Sony Open as he carded a final round 62 despite finishing T47

• Viktor Hovland showed us that even the FedEx Cup champion can be like one of us:

DP World Tour Begins International Swing with the Dubai Invitational

Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and Luke Donald highlight the field at the Dubai Invitational this week. The pros will play alongside amateurs in a pro-am competition for the first 3 rounds, before taking center stage on their own on Sunday. The DP World Tour has changed its format this year, as it is now broken into three separate categories of events. The International Swing is one part of five Global Swings, which will be followed by the Back 9 (including the British Masters and the Irish Open) and the playoffs. Each of the swings will have its own rankings, with $200,000 and a place in each of the Back 9 events guaranteed for the winner of each swing.

Confused? Yeah, me too.

Coming up this week on tour:

• Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and Nicolai Højgaard among those teeing it up in the Dubai Invitational

  • Sky Sports Golf, Thursday 7:30am GMT

• The PGA Tour stays in Hawaii for the Sony Open, where 23-year-old Belgian Adrien Dumont de Chassart will be making his PGA Tour professional debut

  • Peacock/Golf Channel, Thursday 12pm ET