Tyrrell Hatton will have little chance of scoring Ryder Cup points as he tees up on the LIV Golf Circuit again this year.
While European players cannot earn points at LIV events, they obviously can earn points at the DP World Tour, which promotes Team Europe. That explains why Hatton has committed to competing in this fall's DP World Tour event and this week's Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He needed to play well to earn points to qualify for the Ryder Cup.
And he has it.
Back in August, Hatton hit the ground running in six DP World Tour events, earning five top-10s and finishing no better than 18th. He also recorded two wins at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday.
Hatton started the final round in Dubai one stroke behind Daniel Hillier and shot a three-under 69 to edge the New Zealander by one stroke and win. His 6-foot shot on the 18th green proved the difference.
“This is a very symbolic event,” Hatton said after the win.
“Like I said, it's great to watch this event, play and grow and now win. Yeah, I was able to handle myself in a good way and get over the line. I'm very happy.”
With this victory, Hatton moved into first place in the European team rankings. The full breakdown for qualifying for the European Ryder Cup is below.
- Major Championship: 5,000 points available
- 2025 PGA Tour Signature Event, The Players Championship, FedEx Cup Playoffs: 3,000 Points Available
- DP World Tour Rolex Series: 2,000 points available
- PGA Tour regular event: 2,000 points available
- DP World Tour “Global Series” Event: 1,000 points available
- 2025 PGA Tour Alternative Event: 1,000 Points Available
Considering the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is a Rolex Series event, there are 2,000 points up for grabs this week. But Hatton must now rely on a major championship to solidify his ambitions to make a fourth consecutive Ryder Cup team.
“This tournament and the four majors this year are very important to me as I try to get as many points as possible to earn automatic qualification,” Hatton said on Sunday.
“This is a big step in the right direction.”
Hatton's victory moves him into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and automatically places him in the top four majors. Unlike many of his fellow LIV players, he doesn't have to worry about securing a spot on these fields.
“It's no secret that I really want to join that team. We've automatically qualified for the last three Ryder Cups and we're looking to continue that winning streak.” Hutton added.
“Yes, it's a lot harder for me right now, but with a win at Dunhill and a win here this week, this is a Rolex Series event and there are more points available, so I think we're in a good position. But you still have to play really well in the race.''Major. When you play in a LIV event, you still need to play well. That's what I strive to do. ”
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
