Tyrrell Hatton is relishing his return to the DP World Tour after a stint with LIV Golf. He kicked off his year at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, then followed Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm to join Legion XIII, Rahm’s LIV franchise.
His focus shifted to the breakaway league until he returned to the Tour in late August. To maintain his membership and eligibility for next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, Hatton had to make four DP World Tour starts by year’s end.
After playing in Dubai and The Belfry, he needed two more starts, which he made at the Spanish Open and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. His Scottish trip was a triumph, as he won the event for the third time.
- Exclusive: Inside Greg Norman’s leadership as LIV Golf boss sent clear message over being replaced
- Rory McIlroy admits Donald Trump has smart asset who could solve PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger
With a win and four starts under his belt, Hatton qualified for the DP World Tour playoffs, starting this week in Abu Dhabi. Joining him are Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and Shane Lowry, familiar faces from an event he won in 2021.
Hatton’s recent comeback has been a significant boost for his Ryder Cup hopes and world ranking. Speaking about his return to the DP World Tour, Hatton said, “It’s been great.
“I guess in some ways, it’s consistent with feeling maybe a little bit rusty coming into this tournament. Yeah, it’s great to be back out here, and looking forward to the rest of the week.”
Tyrrell Hatton is in Abu Dhabi this week
Hatton made the comments after making his mark in round one of the event at Yas Links. The Legion XIII member carded an impressive eight-under-par 64 on Thursday, which included 10 birdies, putting him two behind round one leader, Fleetwood. On Friday, Hatton added to his score with a four-under 68, leaving him at 12-under for the tournament heading into the weekend.
However, Hatton and his fellow stars will have their work cut out for them on Saturday as they try to catch up to leader Paul Waring. Waring, who is seeking only his second DP World Tour win, followed up an eight-under 64 with an incredible 11-under 61 in round two, which included an eagle and nine birdies.
This puts the Englishman two shots ahead of the chasing pack as the clubhouse leader, sitting at 19-under through 36 holes.
