Tyrrell Hatton says he will do everything in his power to secure a place on Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team next year, with a packed schedule of DP World Tour events planned to finish the year
Tyrrell Hatton has his sights set on securing his place on Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team
Tyrrell Hatton has his sights set on securing his place on Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team (Image: David Cannon/Getty Images)
Tyrrell Hatton still has hopes of winning the LIV Golf Individual Championship, but the Englishman already has one eye on next year’s Ryder Cup with a busy end to the year planned.
Hatton joined the breakaway circuit earlier this year to sign up for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team, putting his Ryder Cup future in jeopardy. He was a pivotal member of Luke Donald’s team that regained the famous trophy in Rome last year.
But by joining the unsanctioned LIV, he risked being ineligible for the event. European players must be active members of the DP World Tour if they want to be considered for selection, and Hatton must play four DP World Tour events before the end of the year to keep his card.
His LIV commitments have prevented him from doing so thus far, but with just three events remaining, Hatton has built a packed schedule to conclude the year to accumulate as many qualifying points as possible. The qualifying period for the Ryder Cup begins next month and Hatton hopes to not only put himself in a good position to make Donald’s team, but he also wants to book a place at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in November.
“It’s going to be busy, but it’s a good thing,” Hatton said ahead of LIV Golf Greenbrier, which begins on Friday. “Ryder Cup points start at the British Masters.
“The LIV events are the same period this year as Irish Open and Wentworth. Previously those would be two events I would be looking to play, but I haven’t played the British Masters in a long time because it’s always fallen on the FedEx Playoffs.
“The schedule has stopped you playing certain events over the last few years, that’s just where golf’s been going. I’m obviously sad to miss Wentworth this year. That tournament is really special to me and I’ve said numerous times what that tournament means. I’m sad to miss it this year but I’m excited to play British Masters and, obviously, I have a good record at the Dunhill [as a two-time champion].
“My main aim with these three events is to earn some Ryder Cup points early but also to try and earn enough points to get me into Abu Dhabi and Dubai in November. That’s hopefully where we finish the season.”
LIV events are unsanctioned by the Official World Golf Ranking and carry no weight towards automatic Ryder Cup qualification, meaning Hatton will rely on his performances at the majors and on other tours if he wants to secure a guaranteed place on the team
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Hatton will hope his form on LIV and Ryder Cup successes are enough to earn him one of six captain’s picks for the showdown with the Americans at Bethpage Black next September, but the High Wycombe native, 32, does not want to leave anything to chance.
“There was three on the world list and three on the European list. You have to play such good golf to be an automatic pick,” he continued.
“Luke has six picks that he gets to choose from and there’s such a big pool of players that it’s hard to choose six from those guys. It’s a tough job but over the next 13 months I need to play as well as I can to hopefully be a part of that team.”
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