“I’m not going to stand in anyone’s way” – Rory McIlroy says he has no issue with Tyrrell Hatton joining LIV Golf for ‘life-changing money’ 

After weeks of speculation, Tyrrell Hatton confirmed his move to LIV Golf this week. The Englishman was announced as one of four members of Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII GC. The 32-year-old golfer sealed his defection from the PGA Tour by withdrawing from the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am field, a day before the event started.

Following the move, Rory McIlroy has come out to state that he has no issue with Hatton joining the Saudi-backed series. The Northern Irishman was speaking ahead of the Pebble Beach event when he stressed the same.

Commenting on his Ryder Cup teammates reported $50 million move to LIV, McIlroy said that he was “not going to stand in anyone’s way from making money.” He even claimed that players deem the sum “life-changing money.”

Speaking about Tyrrell Hatton’s LIV Golf move in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am press conference, Rory McIlroy stated:

“At the end of the day everyone needs to do with what’s right for them. I had a long talk with Tyrrell on Sunday, completely understood where he was coming from. I’ve talked to him quite a bit about it over the past month.

It got to the point where they negotiated and got to a place, he was comfortable with and he has to do what he feels is right for him. I’m not going to stand in anyone’s way from making money and if what they deem life-changing money.”

It is pertinent to note that Rory McIlroy’s comment backing Hatton’s move to the breakaway tour shocked many. For the unversed, the 34-year-old had earlier bashed the Greg Norman-led series and its players. McIlroy had famously opined that he’d retire before playing on LIV Golf.

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Rory McIlroy says LIV defectors should not be punished

In the same press conference, McIlroy also stated that the LIV rebels should not face any punishment for defecting from the traditional tours. The former PGA Tour policy board member said that the American circuit should let the players back on it without action.

Speaking about LIV Golf ahead of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Rory McIlroy said:

“I think life is about choices. Guys made choices to go and play LIV, guys made choices to stay here. If people still have eligibility on this tour and they want to come back and play or you want to try and do something, let them come back. I mean, I think it's hard to punish people. I don’t think there should be a punishment.”

Admitting that he “changed his tune” after Hatton’s move, McIlroy said that the players’ freedom was necessary for golf’s growth. The four-time major winner noted that having a “diminished” PGA Tour or LIV Tour was “bad for both parties.”

The ace golfer said that he hopes the PGA-PIF framework agreement ‘gets done’ soon.