The talk was of wines, not fines. Any notion of an awkward 18 holes between Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton was firmly dismissed by the Englishman in the immediate aftermath. McIlroy used pre-tournament media duties at the Dubai Desert Classic to assert that Hatton and Jon Rahm should settle their seven-figure penalties due to the European Tour Group for their participation in LIV Golf.
McIlroy’s sentiment felt especially notable because he was to spend the opening two rounds at the Emirates Club in Hatton’s company. Yet there appeared no ill feeling between the Ryder Cup teammates, which was evident on the course and by what Hatton said later.
“We didn’t really talk about that,” Hatton said. “It was me mainly asking if he had any good wine over Christmas. It was better than the wine I was drinking but my wine was very nice, too. And then he was horrified to hear what weight I was on 1 January.”
The answer to that is 204lb. “Which at 5ft 8in is aggressive,” Hatton said. “Just before the Ryder Cup, I was 190lb. So what’s that, another stone I’d put on. I enjoyed my December, zero cardio and a lot of drinking. I had a Guinness tap in the house, which was enjoyable. So now it is time to lose a little bit of weight.”
Hatton has no interest in falling out with McIlroy. “I ended up seeing what was said,” Hatton added. “And as he said, that’s his opinion. Everyone is allowed an opinion. I guess something will get sorted, hopefully, soon. Everyone is pretty keen for that to happen.”
Hatton’s two under par 70 was impressive given the level of rust visible in his game. The finest indicators of how good the world’s best golfers really are arrive when they can post rounds such as this when so far from their optimum level. “I was turning like the Titanic out there,” he said. “I can’t move, I still feel pretty stiff. This still feels early for me.”
McIlroy was similarly bereft of his A game while en route to a 73. Tommy Fleetwood, the third member of this marquee group, matched McIlroy’s score.
Francesco Molinari rolled back the years with a 65 before providing a lesson in selflessness. The Italian is widely assumed to be the backup candidate in the unlikely event Luke Donald turns down a third term as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain. This is an invidious position for Molinari to be in. His support, though, is for Donald.
“We were all wishing for him to come back one more time, all the players and basically all the team that’s been working with him for the last four years,” said Molinari. “I’d never say no. I’d never turn it down if I’m asked. I’d love to do it but if it doesn’t happen, there’s no issue. Everyone who was there [at the last two Ryder Cups] would love him to do it one more time.”
Donald unfortunately did not make it as far as the 1st tee here after withdrawing due to illness.
