Tyrrell Hatton joins Jon Rahm’s team with LIV Golf after PGA Tour jump\u060c<\/p>\n
Mark Schlabach, ESPN senior writerJanuary 30, 2024, 5:29 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n Three days before the season opener in Mexico, the LIV Golf League announced Tuesday the signing of Englishman Tyrrell Hatton to join Jon Rahm's new team, Legion XIII, the first expansion franchise in the history of the circuit.<\/p>\n Hatton, the 16th-ranked player in the official world golf rankings, will join Zimbabwe's Kieran Vincent and University of Tennessee sophomore Caleb Surratt on Rahm's team. His team will be the 13th team in a league that plays 54 holes and features shotgun starts.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have come a long way in a short time and are extremely proud of the team and the brand we are building,\u201d Rahm said in a statement. \u201cAs we developed the team brand, it became clear that I wanted to fight alongside a group of guys who were a great fit for what the team stands<\/a> for.<\/p>\n “Tyrrell is a fierce competitor, a proven champion and of course my Ryder Cup teammate. Caleb is one of the game's brightest next-generation stars. And Kieran is a steady and talented ball striker who has earned his promotion to LIV and raises his game every day.”<\/p>\n The London Telegraph reported Monday that Hatton received a deal worth around $60 million after LIV Golf officials belatedly pushed for him to sign.<\/p>\n LIV Golf officials have been courting Hatton and other PGA Tour players for months after signing Rahm on Dec. 7. Two weeks ago, Hatton told reporters in Dubai that he was staying with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour “for now” after having discussions with LIV Golf.<\/p>\n \u201cThe introduction of Legion XIII is a testament to the continued growth of LIV Golf as our league builds for the long term,\u201d LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman said in a statement. \u201cJon Rahm is one of the best competitors in the world and his team will make an immediate impact on the league, both on and off the golf course.<\/p>\n\n