Nick Faldo takes LIV pop as star plays ‘proper tournament’

Sir Nick Faldo was delighted to secure one player’s commitment to this week’s Betfred British Masters.

LIV Golf star Tyrrell Hatton is in the lineup at the Belfry, with a Ryder Cup mission on his hands.

Hatton, 32, begins his bid to qualify for Luke Donald’s side in New York next year, by meeting DP World Tour criteria.

And in welcoming him to the event, Faldo, couldn’t help but have a pop at the Saudi-backed league.

Ahead of hosting the tournament for a second consecutive year, the six-time major champ said: “I’m delighted. [He] wants to come play a proper tournament.”

Faldo went viral for some of his comments about LIV before the Masters.

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The 67-year-old put Jon Rahm in the firing line, insisting his preparation for defending the green jacket consisted of ‘playing resort courses in his shorts’.

Hatton, meanwhile, is competing on the DP World Tour for the first time since January, shortly before he joined Rahm’s new franchise.

But Faldo is pleased that Hatton is showing a desire to earn his place at Bethpage Black.

“I’m delighted – he had such a significant part in the last Ryder Cup, I think he wants it,” Faldo said. “There is a path for them to do it.

“It’s not for me to really be involved. If a guy wants to make the Ryder Cup team, good luck to him. Find a way to get on it.”

He recently told bunkered.co.uk about his plans to make the side, which starts in Sutton Coldfield this weekend.

Hatton will then hope to use his LIV downtime to tee it up in the Spanish Open and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

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The Ryder Cup qualification process begins this week, while Hatton is unable to compete in either the Irish Open or BMW PGA Championship due to conflicting LIV events.

Whether Hatton wins at the Belfry is yet to be seen, but Faldo hopes a Brit can get on the board early.

“It’s an important time,” he added. “Because Ryder Cup points start and I can tell you, as a player, you are thinking about that right from the start.

“A lot of players will be thinking about that, so I hope we get a young European winner who has got the desire to make the Ryder Cup team.”

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.