American golfer Bryson DeChambeau's hopes of returning to the Ryder Cup next year may be dealt a major blow. Despite his switch to LIV Golf, the US Open champion appeared a shoo-in for selection at Bethpage Black, after captain Keegan Bradley expressed his desire to pick his best 12 players irrespective of tour allegiance.

But the 31-year-old could yet be unavailable for selection due to a reported loophole over money owed to the PGA Tour.

In Rome last year, DeChambeau's fellow LIV star Brooks Koepka was permitted to play as one of captain Zach Johnson's picks, due to a 'grace period' handed to rebel players.

However, according to a report in The Telegraph, that 'grace period' has now expired, leaving the Ryder Cup prospects of both DeChambeau and Koepka himself in serious doubt. Anyone who paid their 'yearly PGA dues' before June 30, 2022, was eligible to take part in Italy, but that agreement is said to have expired in June of this year.

The development is likely to leave Bradley frustrated after his comments this month. He implied that it was down to the PGA of America, who run the tournament in conjunction with the DP World Tour, to make sure all his stars were available next September.

"I'm going to have the best 12 players at Bethpage so the PGA of America need to figure that out, if that's their problem," he said. "I know you have to be a PGA member to play in the Ryder Cup. That's the only stipulation. So we'll make sure if some of those guys that we think might make the team, we'll make sure that they are a member."

DeChambeau is the only LIV Golf rebel to have secured a top five finish at a Major this year. That came at the US Open in June, where he capitalised on a late collapse from Rory McIlroy to win the title for the second time.

'The Scientist' has already twice represented Team USA, with contrasting fortunes. In 2018 in Paris, he played two fourball matches with Tiger Woods and one singles match, all of which he lost.

However, he played a key role in Whistling Straits three years later as under Steve Stricker, the hosts notched a record 19-9 victory. In the Sunday singles against European icon Sergio Garcia, he famously drove the green on the par four first hole and holed the putt for eagle en route to a 3&2 win.

Team Europe are also enduring their own selection problems. The place of Jon Rahm, who last week won the LIV event in Chicago to secure the individual season title, is also in serious doubt after he admitted he was yet to pay his DP World Tour fines for defecting to the Saudi-backed tour.

Talks over a potential merger between the warring organisations remain ongoing. However, progress appears to be slow, with McIlroy one top star to admit players had been kept in the dark over discussions.