TRICKY HATTON
Tyrrell big defection to LIV is bound to cause more headaches for Europe’s Ryder Cup team
TYRRELL HATTON has become the latest star to defect to LIV Golf in a £50million deal.
And the English world No.16 is expected to be unveiled tomorrow in time to start LIV’S new season in Mexico on Friday.
The switch poses a problem for the make up of Europe’s Ryder Cup team in 2025, after Hatton’s decision to join close friend Jon Rahm on the Saudi Arabia-backed circuit and become part of the Spaniard’s new team.
LIV recently failed to lure Ryder Cup players Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard and then made Hatton their top target.
He admitted earlier this month at the Dubai Desert Classic that he was one of lots of players who had held talks with LIV, saying: “At the moment I’m quite happy playing PGA Tour and DP World Tour. There’s a lot of people who have [had conversations] and I don’t think there is anything to shy away from.”
Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald could now be missing two of his top players in Hatton and Rahm (right) in the battle with the USA in New York. Both will retain their membership of the DP World Tour, through which they would still technically be eligible. But under current rules, Hatton and Rahm will receive a ban and be fined each time they play on the LIV tour, a sanction which would mean playing in the minimum of four regular DP events required to retain their tour card will likely prove impossible.
A peace deal between the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour could solve the issue of Ryder Cup selection, but it has yet to be struck despite suggestions of a thawing in relations.
The established tours will be deeply concerned about losing another big name to LIV with its big prize money and no cut events.
Fleetwood said last week he was not tempted because he was still chasing his childhood dream, adding: “People have been getting approached for a long, long time now so I don’t think it’s flash news that people are still approached.
“Some people will go and some people won’t. At some point we’ll either all play together, or we won’t. I, like everybody else, will just wait to find out.
“I’m still chasing my childhood dreams and still trying to be the best golfer I can be. Who knows if that changes in the future but for now that’s just where I want to be.”