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Tyrrell Hatton has urged European supporters not to lower themselves to the level of US golf fans when the Ryder Cup heads to Adare Manor in 2027.
Europe’s players were boorishly abused, with Rory McIlroy and his American wife, Erica, targeted for particularly vile treatment, as Bethpage turned ugly. Hatton, who secured the half in the Sunday singles that guaranteed victory for Europe, has told home fans not to seek retribution in Ireland in two years’ time.
“If it was my choice, and what I say isn’t really going to affect how people behave, I don’t really think that the insults are the way forward,” Hatton said. “Some guys on the team had it a lot worse than others. For me, there were a lot of insults maybe around height or hairline or weight, some of which I pretty much say to myself anyway, so it wasn’t like anything new.
“But I would much prefer it to be a respectful atmosphere. You let the guys play and the best team wins – rather than trying to affect the outcome by trying to put off players or things like that. I don’t think it will be as hostile as maybe it was last week. I’d like to think that it will be very respectful.”
The US captain, Keegan Bradley, who refused to condemn the “passionate” home fans at Bethpage, claimed behaviour at the New York course was no different to that in Rome two years ago, when Europe last hosted. Hatton, who went unbeaten for a second successive Ryder Cup, disagrees.
“Personally I don’t think they were close at all,” the Englishman said. “Certainly with what I heard last week, I don’t think Rome comes anywhere near that. I think they are quite far apart.”
The PGA of America chief executive, Derek Sprague, told the Golf Channel he intends to contact McIlroy in person to apologise for what he and his wife went through. “I do plan on sending them an email with my heartfelt apologies for what occurred,” Sprague said. “There’s no place for that in the Ryder Cup or in the game of golf.
“I can’t wait to reach out to Rory and Erica and really, quite frankly, the entire European team. The whole European team should not have been subjected to that. And because of that, I feel badly and I plan on apologising to them.
“When it [the Ryder Cup] started in 1927, it was about sportsmanship and integrity of the game, and that’s what we want it to be and continue to be and it’s unfortunate that people crossed the line last week.”
However, Matt Fitzpatrick called out the organisation’s president, Don Rea, on Wednesday for his churlish reaction to the 15-13 home defeat at the trophy presentation. “I don’t want to speak on behalf of everyone but we did feel there was a little bit of bitterness when they presented the trophy,” Fitzpatrick said.
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“Me and Rosey [Justin Rose] both looked at each other as if to say: ‘That wasn’t a very heartfelt congratulations.’ He said we only retained it but actually we won it.”
As Hatton and Fitzpatrick return to action on Thursday alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Bob McIntyre at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, Luke Donald is mulling over whether to stay on for a third term as Europe’s captain. Fleetwood believes the job should be Donald’s if he wants it after back‑to‑back triumphs, but that Europe have a ready-made successor in his vice‑captain Francesco Molinari.
“The ball is probably in Luke’s court and I think he’s earned that,” Fleetwood said. “I’ve spoken to Francesco about it numerous times. I think the respect he has from his peers and the players, his accomplishments and his experience, I think goes a long way to being a Ryder Cup captain.”
