European Ryder Cup Legend Suggests Path for LIV Golfers to Return May Be Rocky

Jose Maria Olazabal said those in the Saudi-backed league can't expect to have the same rights as PGA Tour and DP World Tour players.

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Upon Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy quickly came out in favor of him being able to play for the European Ryder Cup team next year at Bethpage Black. Rahm, too, has expressed a desire to be able to compete, and while some of this could be cleared up if there is ever a deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, it is an uneasy wait.

Adding to the angst was Rahm’s countryman, Jose Maria Olazabal. The Spanish golfer, who captained the 2012 European victory at Medinah and was an assistant to Luke Donald last year, did not suggest the path would be smooth.

Jose Maria Olazabal (left) was an assistant to captain Luke Donald (center) at last year's Ryder Cup, where Jon Rahm and the Europeans won :: David Cannon/Getty Images

"I respect everyone who has gone to LIV Golf," Olazabal said on a Spanish podcast Golf sin Etiquetas and translated by the Twitter account Handicap54.

"The other part that bothers me is that if you make a decision, it must have consequences. You can’t expect to have the same rights as PGA Tour and DP World Tour players.

“As for changing the rules for Ryder Cup Europe … I don’t know what to tell you. If you miss players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, you could be left naked for one or two Ryder Cups. And? What if you suddenly get three Ludvig Abergs, the Hojgaard (twins, Nicolai and Rasmus)? Turns out we might be able to compete.”

And a few more things ...

The Genesis Invitational is the third of eight signature events and will have a field of just 70 players after final additions were made via the Aon Swing 5, which includes players from a mini FedEx Cup points list. Charley Hoffman, who lost to Nick Taylor in a playoff at the WM Phoenix Open, made it into the Genesis field via this category. So did Justin Thomas, who otherwise would have qualified via top 30 OWGR. Tournament host Tiger Woods is joined by other sponsor exemptions Adam Scott, Will Zalatoris and Gary Woodland. Matthieu Pavon and Justin Rose withdrew, with Pavon being replaced from the swing five list. Otherwise, there is no alternate list. This is something the Tour should address for next year. The signature events are already short fields and when fewer players qualify it could go down the FedEx list and get to 78 players. ... After a two-event start to the season, LIV Golf is now off for the next two weeks. It returns March 1-3 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, followed a week later in Hong Kong. It also plays the week prior to the Masters in Miami. ... The first round of the Masters is in 59 days.