Tyrell Hatton Becomes Latest PGA Tour Member to Defect to LIV Golf

LIV Golf has struck again, taking another noteworthy golfer from the PGA Tour right before it starts its third season later this week. 

Tyrell Hatton, a native of England, will join LIV for reportedly north of $60 million, and will play on Jon Rahm’s unnamed team ahead of Friday’s season-opening event in Mexico. 

The 32-year-old Hatton was slated to make his debut at Pebble Beach this week in the AT&T Pro-Am—now it appears he’ll have to play the legendary Northern California course another time. Hatton is known for his profanity both on and off the course, but his success has been more bland. 

Unlike Rahm, who defected for the Saudi-led tour in early December 2023 and has won two majors, Hatton has three top-10 finishes in three separate majors but no major wins. He has just one PGA Tour win, coming back in 2020 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. That record could prove problematic in his joining of LIV, as major winners have been granted multi-year exemptions, allowing them to play in all four majors in the coming years. In the end, it could be that Hatton is banking on the finalizing of an agreement between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV Golf’s financial arm, which could allow him a path back to the PGA Tour and the world rankings. That agreement was supposed to be finalized in 2023 but has since been pushed back to an unknown date. 

Hatton has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the world rankings and he is currently No. 16, which qualifies him to play in the Masters come April. In 128 career PGA tour matches,  he has won $22 million, making LIV’s offer almost triple his career earnings. 

Rahm and Hatton played together in the Ryder Cup this past fall, winning their foursome matches against the Americans both times. Hatton joins Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, and Dustin Johnson, among others, in leaving the PGA Tour for the lucrative financial offerings of LIV.