Tyrrell Hatton’s LIV Golf win could propel him to Open Championship glory at Royal Troon

Tyrrell Hatton’s six-stroke victory at LIV Golf Nashville represented a breakthrough in more ways than one.

Not only was it his first win on the Saudi Arabia-sponsored circuit, but it was also his first professional golf tournament victory in over three years. Hatton’s last win was on the DP World Tour in January 2021, when he won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by four strokes.

But it’s not like the Englishman has fallen into the abyss since then: He’s qualified for a major tournament 11 years in a row, finished in the top 10 seven times on the 2023 PGA Tour, and even tied for ninth at Augusta National just a few months after joining LIV Golf.

Hatton has played some solid golf over the past few years, which is why he’s still ranked in the top 25 in the World Golf Rankings (OWGR), but now he’s looking to make that next leap – winning a major championship.

Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The British Open is scheduled to be held at Royal Troon next month, and Hatton’s game is a perfect fit for this course on the Scottish coast. In fact, the 24-year-old Hatton tied for fifth at the 2016 British Open when Henrik Stenson beat Phil Mickelson at Royal Troon in the greatest final round of all time. Golf fans didn’t know much about Hatton at the time, but he finished at par or better in four rounds that week.

“I’ve had good results on links courses in the past,” Hatton said after a 3-under 68 in the final round at Royal Troon in July 2016.

“I think my best performances have been on links courses. I’ve played a lot of links courses as an amateur and I’ve just brought that into the states.”

Interestingly, Hatton hasn’t done better at The Open since finishing tied for sixth at Royal Portrush in 2019, tied for 20th at Royal Liverpool a year ago and tied for 11th at St Andrews the year before that.

But now the Englishman returns to Royal Troon as a player to watch, a far cry from when he was ranked 68th in the OWGR in 2016. Golf fans know the 2024 Hatton not only for his fiery, passionate demeanor, but also for his excellent ball-striking and expert short game – the qualities needed to succeed at The Open.

It seems like Hatton is poised to make a breakthrough in major championships, and while we’re still three weeks away from any serious discussion about who can win at Royal Troon, Hatton should be in the discussion, especially now that he’s learned how to win again.

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.