Shane Lowry expressed confidence that Jon Rahm would be part of Europe's Ryder Cup team when they seek to retain the trophy at Bethpage Black in 2025, despite the Spaniard's recent defection to the LIV Tour.
Rahm's departure for the Saudi funded tour has caused convulsions within the sport, with a bullish Greg Norman, LIV's commissioner, promising that "more apples would fall from the tree" in the months ahead.
It represented an about-turn for the reigning Masters champion, who signalled his loyalty to the PGA Tour ahead of the 2022 US Open, saying he was primarily interested in "history and legacy" and that a major financial offer from LIV would not change his life.
On 7 December, his deal with LIV was confirmed, reported to be worth in excess of €500 million.
Explaining the move, Rahm said he made the decision based on what was best for him and his family, as well as trotting out the familiar lines about "growing the game."
These comments were greeted with weary eye-rolls by LIV's multitude of critics, while Rory McIlroy said the sport was in danger of "cannibalising" itself, citing the example of boxing.
Lowry, speaking at the launch of Amgen's sponsorship of the Irish Open in Dun Laoghaire, admitted the game was in a strange place.
"I think with Jon, the growing the game stuff and that, that's obviously what they have to say," the 2019 Open Champion told RTÉ Sport.
"They have signed on the dotted line. They have been told by the communications team 'this is what you say when you’re asked.'
"You have no other choice really because they own you now.
"I think that’s where that comes from. It is in a funny place isn’t it? But I do think it will come together soon. I don’t know when.
"I don’t know if it has been damaging but, yes, people spend their hard earned money going out to join a golf club and to buy golf clubs, it is tough for them to listen to a guy who is already worth whatever [saying he] has to do this for his wife and family."
Rahm was an inspirational presence in Rome as Luke Donald's side prolonged the Americans' three decade long hoodoo on the European continent in late September, winning two and halving two of his four matches.
The hosts made light of the absence of team stalwarts Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter - the first time since 1995 that none of the three were involved - the trio having resigned their DP World Tour membership on leaving for the LIV Tour in 2022.
Now, Rahm is LIV-bound, placing his involvement in New York in some jeopardy. McIlroy, famously sanguine about the absence of the aforementioned trio before the Rome match, admits that the team will need Rahm if they're to match the 2012 team by winning on American soil.
While McIlroy reckoned the rules may have to be amended to ensure Rahm's involvement, Lowry felt this isn't necessary as he hasn't formally resigned from the DP World Tour.
"The reason they [Poulter, Westwood and Garcia] weren’t on the Ryder Cup team this year is because they resigned their membership. Like, Thomas Pieters would have been able to make the team if he’d played good enough.
"Like, the guys who didn't resign their membership would have been able to make the team. Brooks [Koepka] was there, but obviously the DP World Tour is different.
"But there were certain players that would have been able to make the team if they had played well enough, but they just didn't.
"I’m sure Rambo would play good enough to make the team so if he just, if he doesn't resign his membership, he can still make the team."
