Tyrrell Hatton makes LIV Golf admission with 'a lot to play for' at U.S. Open

Tyrrell Hatton is chasing a first major title at the U.S. Open, but the LIV Golf star is hoping for a strong finish regardless if he comes out on top as he eyes a Ryder Cup berthTyrrell Hatton put together a stellar 68 to move into contention at Oakmont ahead of the final day(Image: Getty Images)

Tyrrell Hatton acknowledged that joining LIV Golf means majors mean more for several reasons as he contends for the U.S. Open.

On Saturday, Hatton enjoyed a stellar run of three birdies in four holes to start the back nine, catapulting himself up the leaderboard on moving day. The LIV Golf star began the day at three-over, but produced a two-under 68.

Renowned for his fiery temper on the course, Hatton — who joined the Saudi-backed series in a $63 million deal — plays for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII. The duo were teammates on the victorious European Ryder Cup team of 2023.

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Hatton is looking to claim his first major title, but there is more on the line for him, too. When Hatton made the choice to defect from the PGA Tour, the 33-year-old understood the implications.

The DP World Tour banned and fined him, jeopardizing his Ryder Cup hopes. However, a route back to the tournament was unveiled; Hatton needed to become eligible to return to the DP World Tour and secure points.

Hatton played inspired golf in the third round at Oakmont until the last hole when he produced a tremendous approach on 18 following a poor tee shot to secure par. But for Hatton on Sunday, there is more on the line than just the U.S. Open title.

“Well, I mean, I knew at the start of the year and certainly last year when I signed with LIV that the majors were going to be very important for me,” Hatton acknowledged. “But yeah, I’d love to go out there tomorrow and have another day like today and finish off a strong week for World Ranking points, Ryder Cup points, Race to Dubai points.

“There’s a lot to play for.

Tyrrell Hatton is hoping to pick up crucial ranking points to be selected to the Ryder Cup(Image: Getty Images)

“At the end of the day, I just have to go out there and try my best, and I can’t really worry about that. I just have to focus on one shot at a time, and that’s what I’ll try and do tomorrow.”

Hatton has not been at his best in 2025. He is currently ranked 22nd in the LIV Golf standings, led by Joaquin Niemann.

Hatton has logged just two top-10 finishes all season, finishing tied-sixth in the season-opener in Riyadh and tied-fifth in Mexico City. But he believes he can win the U.S. Open, which is there for the taking.

“I’m sure if you’ve won majors in the past, you know that you can get over the line in a major, but still, at the end of the day, it’s another golf tournament,” Hatton added. “For the most part, you’re playing against a lot of the guys week in, week out, and certainly, on your day you have to trust that you can compete and beat anyone and have that self-belief, which I think everyone in the field this week will have that.

“You just go out there and try your best and see where you end up.”

Hatton will play alongside fellow LIV Golf star Carlos Ortiz in the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday. The duo tee off at 1:53 p.m. ET.