:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/JRLEP4ARXBA2HLJIIMDFJYAO7A.jpg "Hatton joins LIV Golf and becomes part of Rahm’s new team")
The Englishman Tyrrell Hatton made official on Tuesday his move to LIV Golf, the league financed by Saudi Arabia, which has acquired another player who is among the 20 best in the world and who completed the new team led by the Spanish Jon Rahm, champion of the Masters.
LIV had been rumored to be courting Hatton since it hired Rahm in a surprise move toward the end of the previous year. Rahm and Hatton have been teammates in the last two Ryder Cup duels.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Hatton signed a 50 million pound ($63 million) bonus.
LIV Golf begins its third year this week at Mayakoba, on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Hatton will be part of Rahm’s new team, called Legion XIII.
Also joining Rahm will be Kieran Vincent, of Zimbabwe, and Caleb Surratt, who played collegiate golf at Tennessee and competed in the Walker Cup last year at St. Andrews. Vincent, brother of LIV player Scott Vincent, earned a spot in the league last year in the qualifying tournament.
“We’ve come a long way in a short period, and we’re extremely proud of the team and the brand we’re building,” Rahm said. “As we developed the team brand it became clear that I wanted to fight alongside a group of guys that aligned perfectly with what this team stands for.”
He described Hatton as a “fierce competitor and a proven champion.” He stressed that she is his partner in the Ryder Cup.
Hatton, who has been two years since his last victory in the Abu Dhabi Championship, is 16th in the world. He has seven wins worldwide, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in 2020.
Rahm and Hatton went 3-0 in Ryder Cup team matches in 2023 and 2021. Hatton went 3-0-1 in Europe last September, when he regained the cup at the Marco Simone.
“I’m really excited for this new chapter, to link up with Jon Rahm and the Legion XIII and to start this week in Mexico,” Hatton said.