by Tyrrell Hatton is optimistic that the schism in men’s professional golf will end and has revealed that European captain Luke Donald has considered awarding Ryder Cup qualifying points to LIV Golf events.
Hatton was part of Donald’s victorious European team in Rome last year before joining the Saudi-funded breakaway team and winning his first event in Nashville in June.
In order to remain eligible for next year’s competition at Bethpage, Hatton must play four regular DP World Tour events this season and will play his second tournament this week at the British Masters after appealing sanctions imposed for playing LIV events without permission.
“That side of it is a bit tricky,” Hatton told The Belfry. “But from my point of view, I want to be competing in the DP World Tour events and hopefully there’s something that can be sorted out to make it a bit easier.
“It’s a very busy week with the Ryder Cup points starting. I’m on the DP World Tour, I want to play on the Ryder Cup team and I have to play really well to score points.
“I know they potentially discussed awarding points to LIV, which is perhaps surprising that they did and it didn’t go through, but it’s not surprising and that’s fine.
“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.”
Donald and vice-captain Edoardo Molinari are understood to have been exploring the possibility of awarding Ryder Cup points to LIV events as part of a wider study before the new qualification process was revealed earlier this month.
While the idea was ultimately not deemed feasible, Hatton believes there are other indications behind the scenes that a deal between the DP World Tour, the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund remains on the table.
“I think everyone is in the same boat and wants to get closer,” Hatton said. “It feels like over the last month or so we’re starting to get a little bit closer to that outcome, but time will tell whether that’s the case or not.”
“I think with me being able to play this week and given some of the conversations that have happened over the last month, it’s maybe looking a little bit more positive than it was two or three months ago, which is a good sign.”
Players who originally joined LIV in 2022 appealed their sanctions and were able to compete until April 2023, when an arbitration panel ruled in favor of the DP World Tour and ratified its right to enforce its rules.
Asked if he was confident his own appeal would have a different outcome, Hatton said: “I don’t know. I think we’re at a different stage than we were two years ago, where it was quite complicated and both sides were perhaps not helping each other in their dealings.”
“It was definitely more fractured, but I’m not interested in that kind of thing.
“I’m pretty honest, I just want to play the events I want to play and I enjoy playing on the DP World Tour and that’s all I’m trying to do this week.”
While Hatton may not be interested in any ‘back and forth’, tournament host Sir Nick Faldo couldn’t resist a dig during the 54-hole events on LIV Golf when asked if the world number 36 was the highest-ranked player in the field.
“I’m delighted that he wants to come and play a real tournament,” Faldo said. “It will add a bit of ‘us and them’, which we appreciate.
“If a guy wants to make the Ryder Cup team, good luck to him. There’s a path to get there, but it’s not my job to figure it out. Go out there and find a way to get there.”
