[Photo: Ross Kinnaird]
Appeals for Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm against DP World Tour fines are a hot topic at the Dubai Desert Classic. Particularly after Rory McIlroy suggested on Wednesday that his two Ryder Cup European teammates should simply pay up for competing in conflicting events while on LIV Golf.
Hatton and Rahm began to accumulate fines when they moved to LIV Golf in 2024, for competing in tournaments that conflict with the DP World Tour where both are members. McIlroy suggested Hatton and Rahm should “absolutely” pay their sanctions. “We were 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 are two guys that can prove it.”
It left some curious as to whether McIlroy and Hatton would discuss the comments during their opening-round grouping alongside Tommy Fleetwood at the Emirates Golf Club.
“We didn’t really talk about that. It was me mainly asking him if he’d had any good wine over Christmas, to be honest,” Hatton said. “He did. It was better than the wine I was drinking, but my wine was very nice, too. Then he was horrified to hear what my weight was on January 1st.”
Which was?
“It was 204 pounds (93 kilograms), which, at 5-foot-8 (173 centimetres), is aggressive,” Hatton said, causing reporters to erupt with laughter.
After winning the 2025 Dubai Desert Classic, the LIV Golf team championship with Rahm’s Legion XIII squad and an away Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, as well as a T-4 at the US Open, Hatton certainly earned an offseason break. He took the opportunity, even revealing his celebrations included installing a Guinness tap in his house.
“Before the Ryder Cup, I was like, 190 [pounds, 86 kilograms],” Hatton continued. “So, I put on one stone (6.35 kilograms). Yeah, I enjoyed my December. I did do some training. Zero cardio, and a lot of drinking. I had a Guinness tap in the house, which was enjoyable. And, yeah, it’s now time to lose a bit of weight.”
Hatton’s LIV Golf and DP World Tour offseason didn’t seem to impact his form, having opened the Dubai Desert Classic with a 70. At two-under-par, he sat five shots behind Francesco Molinari, the 2018 Open champion, who carded a 65.
Although, the Englishman said his golf swing and body rotation were more cumbersome than they appeared. “Oh, I was turning like the Titanic,” Hatton said. “I can’t move. I still feel pretty stiff.”
But back to the DP World Tour fines. Tour officials confirmed to Australian Golf Digest in Dubai that the combined total of the fines for Rahm and Hatton was several million dollars. Rahm and Hatton appealed the fines in 2024, meaning they can continue playing on the DP World Tour – which runs the European team at the Ryder Cup – until there is a hearing for their appeals.
Hatton saw McIlroy’s comments but insisted the Masters champion was perfectly entitled to have his own opinion.
“I ended up seeing what was said,” Hatton said. “That’s his opinion, so everyone’s allowed an opinion, and I’ve got nothing more to add to that. I guess something will get sorted, hopefully something soon. I think everyone’s pretty keen for that to happen. So, yeah, we’ll see what happens.”