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As host of the Betfred British Masters tournament, Sir Nick Faldo joked on Wednesday that it would be nice for LIV rebel Tyrrell Hatton to play in a “real tournament” this week.
But the greatest English golfer of the modern era is acutely aware that his young compatriot is not at the Belfry for the honours – and certainly not for the money.
Had Hatton decided not to join LIV Golf at the start of the year, it is almost inconceivable that he would be the only member of the world’s top 50 in an event with a proud 74-year history that boasts champions of the calibre of not only Faldo himself, but also Seve Ballesteros, Bobby Locke, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam and, ahem, Greg Norman.
Hatton would have preferred to be at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, held 37 years ago. Why? Well, the total prize money for the 156 West Midlands players is $3.5 million (£2.6 million), while in Georgia the golfer who finishes sixth will receive $3.5 million. If anything sums up the mess that is professional golf at the moment, it is that.
Of course, Hatton isn’t the only one looking to get rich, but his situation is different as he accepted £50 million to join LIV in February. That earned him an immediate ban from the PGA Tour and, after what happened to European legends like Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, many assumed it would effectively mean the same on the 32-year-old’s home circuit, the DP World Tour.
However, as was revealed in April, Wentworth’s headquarters reviewed its rules and decided that as long as Hatton and the most famous defector, Jon Rahm, honoured their fines and served their bans, they could remain members. And, more relevantly, be eligible to play in next year’s Ryder Cup.
The Tour will never admit it, but it actually discovered a loophole that allowed Hatton and Rahm to make themselves available for Luke Donald to select as wild cards for the New York match. They will simply have to complete their four-tournament minimum to retain their cards and ensure they are eligible for the biennial showdown in Bethpage.
Hatton, who played two tournaments in Dubai in January before his controversial exit, will also be at the Spanish Open next month and the Dunhill Links in October, which is what gave him his ticket. The situation is further complicated, however, by the fact that he has yet to pay six-figure fines and even more as he has appealed the sanction. The Tour has therefore arguably made the package even more generous.
“That side of it is a bit complicated,” Hatton admitted at the Belfry on Wednesday. “But from my point of view, I want to compete in the DP World Tour events and hopefully there will be a solution that can be found, so that becomes a bit easier.”
Hatton was referring here to the negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which funds the LIV. Rahm and Hatton are counting on a peace deal being reached and their gamble paying off, but there is no indication that a resolution is possible. None at all.
A worrying wait, but Hatton says Donald has considered changing Ryder Cup qualifying so that playing for Europe “becomes a bit easier”.
“I know they potentially discussed the attribution [Ryder Cup qualification] “I think it’s LIV,” Hatton said. “I don’t know exactly how far it went, but it was a topic that came up. I guess it was a good thing that it was thought of.”
It seems the idea was quickly shot down. Naturally, Donald Trump wants Rahm and Hatton on board and they are skirting the red tape as quietly as possible to make sure it happens.
The British Masters is actually the first qualifying event, but overall the result will mean absolutely nothing. The big European names are at East Lake and players like Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland and Tommy Fleetwood will only think about the end of the PGA Tour play-offs.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler opens the event with an off-kilter score of 10 under par, while McIlroy is at 5 under par. Sunday’s champion will take home $25 million, the largest prize ever won in golf. A “real tournament,” no doubt.
