Tyrrell Hatton responds to Rory McIlroy’s stern Ryder Cup comments

Tyrrell Hatton responded to Rory McIlroy’s comments about Ryder Cup eligibility but made it clear he is reluctant to expand after just coming off the golf course.

Asked for his reaction to McIlroy’s plea that he and Jon Rahm should pay their outstanding DP World Tour fines as a result of their ties to LIV Golf, Hatton said: “Well, I’ve literally just come off a Pro-Am. I’m not on my phone in the Pro-Am. So, I don’t really have anything to add towards what he [McIlroy] said.”

McIlroy had earlier urged the LIV Golf pair to settle their fines in order to prove what the Ryder Cup means to them.

"Look, this is my opinion," McIlroy told reporters ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Wednesday

"We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. 

"There's two guys that can prove it."

McIlroy added: "I think any organisation or any members' organisation like this has a right to uphold its rules and regulations.

"What the DP World Tour are doing is upholding their rules and regulations.

"We, as members, sign a document at the start of every year, which has you agree to these rules and regulations.

"The people that made the option to go to LIV knew what they were. So I don't see what's wrong with that."

Hatton and Rahm are currently appealing fines and sanctions imposed by the DP World Tour for playing in LIV Golf League events without conflicting event releases. 

Rahm recently said his fines stand at around $3 million — roughly $1.5 million per season on LIV.

Asked for an update on the appeals process, Hatton, who is defending the title at this week's Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates GC, said: “To be honest I don't have an update to give.

“It's still with legal teams and there's guys that are still in conversations working it all out.

“So I haven't put any more thought into that. Like I don't really know what's happening. So, yeah, I'm just here to play golf as always.”

Despite the uncertainty, Hatton has reiterated his desire to continue playing in the Ryder Cup, having represented Team Europe in each of the last four editions.

Asked if he could imagine not being a DP World Tour member and, subsequently, ruling him out of the Ryder Cup, Hatton said: “No, I mean, hopefully not. I’ve always been extremely proud to be a member on the DP World Tour, and certainly over the last couple of years, I’ve shown commitment to playing events here.

“And then with the Ryder Cup, it’s pretty hard to make those teams, and I’ve been fortunate to play the last four.

“Hopefully the only thing that stops me from being able to play in them would be age and some younger, much more talented players taking my spot in that sense.

“So hopefully that’s the way that my Ryder Cup career would end.”

Hatton and Rahm were eligible to compete at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black after appealing their fines, and they both performed admirably heping Luke Donald's Europe see out a 15-13 victory away from home.

A hearing date for both Hatton and Rahm's fine is still yet to be confirmed.