Tyrrell Hatton outlines major risk after joining LIV

Tyrrell Hatton has revealed he agonised over his decision to join LIV Golf.

The Englishman became LIV’s second most high-profile signing over the winter, joining his European Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm on the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit.

His move has jeopardised his chances of making the next Ryder Cup team, while Hatton is also indefinitely banned from the PGA Tour and is already racking up fines and suspensions from the DP World Tour.

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Hatton says he was swayed by the chance to become part of Rahm’s new Legion XIII team, but not before much deliberation as rumours of an impending £50million switch swirled during January’s Dubai Desert Classic.

“This all came about over the weekend of Dubai,” Hatton told BBC Sport ahead of this week’s LIV event in Miami. “The following week was a pretty stressful one. I almost wanted a crystal ball to know what the right decision would be.

“I spoke to so many people in that week, almost to the point of wanting to have someone to make the decision for me. It was hard. You don’t know what’s the right decision.

“I knew that if I stayed and played PGA Tour, if I play how I have been for the past seven, eight years then I should stay within the top 50 and give myself the best chance of making the Ryder Cup and playing in all the majors and that’s what I want to do.”

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Hatton, the world no.17, is well aware he has taken a risk regarding his eligibility for future major championships.

He heads to Augusta National for The Masters next week knowing he is safe for all four of the biggest tournaments on the calendar.

But without access to world ranking points on LIV, Hatton is relying on strong performances next week and at the US PGA, US Open and The Open to ensure he does not miss out on the career-defining events in 2025.

“It’s hard,” he admitted. “I have to earn 20-25 world ranking points this year to be in all four majors next year. That’s the equivalent of finishing fifth on your own in a major.

“It’s doable and it would be nice if I could have a really good week next week at the Masters – although that’s been challenging for me over my previous seven visits.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.