Tyrrell Hatton paired with star set to snub PGA Tour for LIV Golf at Ryder Cup warm-up event
Tyrrell Hatton paired with star set to snub PGA Tour for LIV Golf at Ryder Cup warm-up event
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Rumoured LIV Golf recruit Tom McKibbin has been paired with his potential teammate Tyrrell Hatton for the opening session of the Team Cup – a warm-up event for the Ryder Cup. Ten-man teams representing Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Continental Europe go head-to-head at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort from Friday to Sunday, with the event a proving ground for Ryder Cup hopefuls alongside a smattering of experienced players.
Former world No. 1 Justin Rose is the playing captain for GB&NI, with Ryder Cup veterans Tommy Fleetwood and Hatton also on his team. And Hatton will play with Northern Ireland's McKibbin in Friday's fourballs, facing off against Antoine Rozner and Julien Gurrier in the UAE.
McKibbin, who grew up playing at Rory McIlroy's home course of Holywood in County Down, was one of 10 players who earned PGA Tour cards after an impressive 2024 season on the DP World Tour. However, it has been widely reported this week that the 22-year-old – a one-time winner on the DP World Tour – will snub the chance to play stateside, instead joining Jon Rahm's Legion XIII team on LIV Golf.
High Wycombe native Hatton is also a member of Rahm's team, and Rose's decision to pair them together in the Team Cup will inevitably fuel speculation that McKibbin is headed for the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway circuit. The sight of McKibbin and Hatton as playing partners could be a window into the near future, with LIV's season teeing off in Riyadh next month.
