Jon Rahm shuts down golf reporter before PGA Championship

Jon Rahm refused to divulge whether he has been given assurances by European captain Luke Donald about his Ryder Cup status. 

Rahm heads into the second men's major of the year at Quail Hollow looking to improve on his T14 finish at The Masters.

Before that major was played at Augusta National, the Spaniard claimed he felt his game was being 'unfairly judged' since he joined LIV.

The 30-year-old has been a top-10 machine on the PIF-backed breakaway but has not truly contented in a major since his lucrative switch.

The 2025 Ryder Cup is now 136 days away and the fiery Spaniard is looking to wear the blue and gold for the fourth occasion. 

Rahm and his Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton were fined and suspended by the DP World Tour for competing in LIV events without tournament releases. 

Both players have appealed and it is understood their cases - conveniently - won't be heard until after the 2025 matches on the outskirts of New York. 

One reporter pressed Rahm before the PGA Championship over whether he has been given assurances he will play in September no matter what. 

"That's a question for Luke," Rahm said "It's his team. Hopefully I can qualify, and we don't have to question it."

Rahm is currently 29th in the European Ryder Cup standings and will need strong performances in the PGA, U.S. Open and The Open in July if he is to qualify for the team automatically. 

"I would like to think that personally I am [in the team], but it's not up to me," Rahm added. 

The reporter replied: "You said that's a question for Luke, but my question was to you."

"I know," Rahm said. 

Said the reporter: "Has he said to you, don't worry, you're in, in effect?"

Rahm replied: "I'm not going to say anything about that, no. Again, that's a question for Luke, the captain."

Rahm never doubted Rory McIlroy

Whilst Rahm was reluctant to discuss the 2025 Ryder Cup, he did speak more openly about Rory McIlroy's Masters triumph. 

McIlroy completed the career grand slam in April after defeating Justin Rose in a playoff at Augusta. 

Rahm told reporters on Tuesday that he never doubted McIlroy would wear the green jacket. 

He said had McIlroy not blown a four-shot 54-hole lead in 2011 then it was likely he would have achieved far more now. 

"I think it's been a very difficult hurdle to overcome, and you could see his emotion towards the end just because his real first chance to win a major, how it went down," Rahm said. 

"I understand he won the U.S. Open [in 2011] shortly after by a record margin, but every time he went to Augusta, that was on his mind. 

"It's funny to me, when you see Rory's game, every time I went down to Augusta National, I'm like, if there's ever a golf course that is perfect for this man who can hit a high draw on command better than anybody else, has great hands and great touch, it's him."

Rahm added: "He's had so many chances. It's just, it's never easy. It's very difficult. 

"I would not be one bit surprised if this lifted a weight off his shoulders that could get him going on another run, a bit like Xander did last year. 

"Wins one, gets another one, gets in contention many times, like Scottie and many other players have done. 

"A player of his calibre, you never know."

The 2025 PGA Championship gets underway on Thursday. 

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