Why was a LIV Golfer allowed to play and win on the DP World Tour?

Tyrrell Hatton won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, taking yet another Rolex Series title and building his impressive portfolio on the formerly-named European Tour.

Hatton played on the Old World circuit in 2024 despite joining the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League with Jon Rahm in January, pocketing a reported $50 million fee.

As the Englishman maintained his membership in Europe, he was sanctioned with fines and suspensions for each conflicting LIV event he played in, as per the DP World Tour’s conflicting tournament regulations.

Some of his LIV colleagues and compatriots such as Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood relinquished their DP World Tour memberships to avoid facing further sanctions. Still, Hatton hasn’t taken this route and this is presumably down to the Ryder Cup.

Let me explain why Hatton was allowed to play and win in Dubai, as he was at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship back in October in 2024, and why his activity on the DP World Tour is crucial for his hopes of playing for Team Europe in New York.

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Tyrrell Hatton: LIV Golf player finds loophole to play on the DP World Tour

First things first. To be a member of Team Europe to face America at the Ryder Cup, you must be a member of the DP World Tour and to maintain your membership, you must play four times in the season.

From February through August 2024, Hatton didn’t play on the DP World Tour as he was contractually obliged to play in the LIV Golf League. With suspensions coming down for each conflicting event he played in, this would’ve prevented most chances of playing in Europe in those months anyway.

But at the start of September, Hatton had only played in the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January. Three more appearances were needed to keep his DP World Tour status, so fans and reporters alike were left scratching their heads and wondering if Hatton could complete his quota with a pile of fines and suspensions to face.

The 33-year-old found somewhat of a loophole. He appealed his sanctions and while under an ongoing appeal process, he could compete on the DP World Tour. He played at the British Masters at the Belfry, the Spanish Open in Madrid and the Alfred Dunhill Links which he won. This is why one of LIV Golf’s biggest stars could return to the DP World Tour and win his seventh title on the circuit.

Not only did Hatton fulfil his membership requirements and eligibility to be part of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in 2025, but he reached 16th in the Race to Dubai rankings which was enough to qualify for the DP World Tour Playoffs that began in November and consisted of the Abu Dhabi Championship and the DP World Tour Championship. He came second and sixth respectively.

Rahm was also in the same boat. In pursuit of a place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, Rahm has also appealed his sanctions which allowed him to play in four tournaments and keep his eligibility.

By winning the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Hatton rockets up the European Ryder Cup points rankings. Even if he didn’t come in the top six spots on the points list which automatically guarantees a Ryder Cup place, this type of form is hard for captain Luke Donald to ignore when making his six captain’s picks.

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