Rory McIlroy has told Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton to prove their loyalty to Team Europe by ending the fines saga that is threatening to see them exiled from the Ryder Cup.
The LIV pair have so far refused to pay seven-figure sanctions imposed on them by the DP World Tour since their defections to the breakaway circuit two years ago.
It was only by virtue of a protracted, mutually-convenient appeals process that they were cleared to star for Luke Donald’s side in New York last autumn, but the issue cannot be delayed indefinitely.
Given the legal landscape around the situation, a complicated matter has a simple summary: if they don’t pay up, Hatton and Rahm risk losing their DP World Tour membership and with it their eligibility to play against the United States at Adare Manor in 2027.
However, there is currently no sign of the golfers backing down, with the crux of their objection being that the Tour should not fine them each and every time they play a conflicting event on the LIV circuit.
Rahm recently estimated that the bill has reached around £2.6million and the problem he and Hatton face is that the DP World Tour have already established a legal precedent in their favour, meaning that if this saga ever ends up in court, the Tour would be expected to win.
Rory McIlroy has called upon his Ryder Cup team-mates Tyrell Hatton and Jon Rahm to pay their fines
The two golfers have been embroiled in the ongoing saga over sanctions since their defections to LIV Golf
Now McIlroy has waded into the debate with a blunt message to the LIV rebels: pay up and all this will go away.
Speaking at the Dubai Desert Classic on Wednesday, the world No 2 said: ‘This is my opinion – 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: ‘Look, I think 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 and we, as members, sign a document at the start of every year and agree to these rules and regulations. The people that made the option to go to LIV knew what they were.’
It was a spicy contribution from McIlroy, but it remains to be seen if Rahm and Hatton will relent. A source close to one of the duo told Daily Mail Sport that there is a possibility of a resolution prior to the start of the LIV season on February 4, which would fall 18 months after the appeals were first lodged.
The length of that appeals process has been farcical, especially as no date has been set for any kind of formal arbitration.
Beyond dispute is that whoever leads Europe at the next Ryder Cup will desperately hope to have Hatton and Rahm available.
Hatton, who is defending his title in Dubai ahead of the start of his next LIV campaign, said on Wednesday: ‘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. I haven’t put any more thought into that.’
Asked if he could envisage a scenario where he was not on the Ryder Cup team, Hatton added: ‘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, I’ve been fortunate to play the last four.
‘Everyone says once you’ve played one, you never want to miss another one, and I’m certainly no different from that. Hopefully I’ll be able to play more in the future and the only thing that stops me is age and some younger, much more talented players taking my spot.’
