Jon Rahm confident of Ryder Cup prospects ahead of The Open at Royal Portrush

Jon Rahm told reporters ahead of The Open that qualifying for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team is always on his mind. 

The Spaniard arrives at Royal Portrush for the final men's major of the year needing a big result to vault up the European Ryder Cup standings. 

LIV Golf recruit Rahm is currently 19th on the points list and will be reliant on a captain's pick from skipper Luke Donald should he fail to qualify automatically. 

Unlike other former European Ryder Cup stars that bolted to LIV, Rahm never resigned his DP World Tour membership in order to remain eligible for the biennial competition. 

It was initially thought Rahm would simply pay the fines issued by the DP World Tour and serve periods of suspension for competing in events on the PIF-backed league. 

However, he has decided to appeal against his punishment and his fines are currently under arbitration. 

His LIV Golf teammate Tyrrell Hatton is also in the same situation. 

If the case is heard before September and is unfavourable then the golfers may be forced to serve periods of suspension that clash with the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. 

It's likely, though, that the appeal won't be heard until after the showpiece in New York. 

"I don't know how many times I can answer yes to that question," Rahm told reporters on Tuesday about his Ryder Cup chances. 

"Yeah, it's been on my mind. It's been on my mind a year ago, and it will continue on my mind as long as I play golf in my career. So the Ryder Cup is always there.

"Obviously when I wake up in the morning here, I'm thinking about this, but the Ryder Cup will always be on my mind."

Rahm will be hoping to make his fourth appearance in the Ryder Cup. He was instrumental in Europe's victory at Le Golf National in 2018 and formed a formidable partnership with the aforementioned Hatton two years ago in Rome.

Valderrama perfect preparation for The Open

Twelve months ago, Rahm complained that LIV's schedule didn't serve as the ideal preparation for the final men's major of the year. 

LIV played at the notoriously difficult Valderrama last week whilst PGA Tour and DP World Tour golfers got some links practice in at the Scottish Open. 

Rahm finished runner-up to Talor Gooch last week in Spain and insisted that it was good major prep nonetheless.

"Last week, especially on Sunday, it was very nice," he said. "It was a very good round of golf. 

"It was by far my best round at Valderrama, and to play it bogey-free, with really, besides the last hole, never really being in danger of a making a mistake or a big mistake.

"In Valderrama, we had quite a bit of wind, and that’s always going to be a very hopeful week to get ready for it. The other thing Valderrama does, it’s challenging. 

"Every golf shot you hit there, it’s very little margin of error, so it does prep you mentally to get ready for a challenge that a major can be.

"Not to the fullest, but it's challenging enough to where you have to think about it quite a bit. With the wind obviously there's differences, but in those two aspects it helps."

The Open is golf's most prestigious major

Rahm is one of 19 LIV Golf players in the field this week. 

Perhaps the Spaniard, Bryson DeChambeau and Hatton represent the league's best chances of lifting the Claret Jug.

Rahm's overall record in The Open is decent, with the golfer only missing one cut. He also has three top 10 finishes. 

"The Open Championship is the most prestigious event you can win in golf," he said. 

"For my understanding of the game and the history of the game, I think the Claret Jug is the most special one. 

"There's an order to it too because it changes venues, so if you can win it in St Andrews, I don't think anything in golf can come close to that. Obviously there's different ones that have a lot of significance as well."

He added: "The Open to me, I think that's what it is. It's the home of golf. Golf started in this part of the world. 

"It's the oldest championship we have, and that's what makes it so special -- the type of golf we play, the links courses where in theory is meant to be played, the elements, the weather, it's quite unique. 

"I don't think there's a word to describe it, but all together it's what makes it so special."