Tyrrell Hatton reveals flaw in LIV Golf format after making ‘coin toss’ admission over Saudi switch
Tyrrell Hatton reveals flaw in LIV Golf format after making ‘coin toss’ admission over Saudi switch
Tyrrell Hatton became one of the biggest names to make the move to LIV Golf ahead of the 2024 campaign – but there is one aspect of the format he is struggling to adapt
Tyrrell Hatton has admitted he is not the biggest fan of LIV Golf’s shotgun start, after the Englishman reflected on his first month with the breakaway circuit.
Hatton became one of LIV’s marque signings in February, as he joined his Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm at the newly-formed Legion XIII. The former PGA Tour star has played in three LIV events so far this season finishing eighth in Mexico, 14th in Las Vegas and 18th in Jeddah last week.
Having settled into life with the breakaway circuit, Hatton was asked how he found adapting to LIV’s differing format to the PGA Tour after appearing on the latest episode of the the league’s Fairway To Heaven podcast.
In an honest admission Hatton said: “If I’m honest I’m not in love with the shotgun start. I like the idea of everybody being on the golf course at the same time, and I think that would still be achievable with a two-tee start. Mainly because I don’t like – the warm-up situation is hard. Ultimately you want to have a nice warm-up, do your routine and get to the tee as and when you want.”
Clearly unhappy with how the shotgun start makes his preparation for tournaments slightly more complicated, he went on: “If I tee off the first or 10th, I will be walking onto the tee three minutes before I’m due to go. I’d get to the putting green just shy of 10 minutes before.
“So I come straight off the range, putt for five minutes and then go to the tee and with a shotgun start you have to leave 20 minutes before your tee time. You might be at the furthest point on the golf course, so I am not in love with that side of it. Maybe it is just learning to deal with it as its new experiences, but we will see what happens.”
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The six-time DP World Tour winner appeared to be a last-minute signing by the LIV setup, as his move was confirmed just days before the opening event at Mayakoba last month. Hatton however revealed talks with the Saudi-backed series had started three months earlier.
“So we had some chats in December,” he added. “I spoke with Jon during that time and to be honest nothing happening in the December. Then for me it was the weekend I was playing the Dubai Desert Classic and that is when we had another call to my agent and we obviously spoke about it after the tournament had finished. Then we basically had a week to work it all out and here we are.”
Remarkably revealing that his decision was made by the help of a coin toss, he added: “I had a deadline of 7:30 on the Sunday night [before Mayakoba]. With the help of a coin toss,” he said with a smile, “I signed the contract at 7:29.”
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