Switching leagues has always been a contentious issue for both players and the governing bodies of those leagues, and this holds true whether it’s the PGA Tour or LIV Golf. Over the years, several PGA professionals have made the switch to LIV Golf, with Tyrrell Hatton being the latest high-profile player to join the Saudi-backed league. While Hatton might feel content with his decision, the move has certainly sparked criticism from fans and commentators alike.

Despite facing backlash, Hatton has enjoyed a successful year in both LIV Golf and the DP World Tour. In 2024, the Englishman recorded five top-10 finishes, including four top-5 results in LIV Golf. He also secured a victory in the series. While his participation in PGA Tour events was limited, Hatton managed to notch one top-10 and two top-15 finishes out of the six events he entered.

Now, with a fresh start to the 2025 season, Hatton has made a strong statement with his win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the first DP World Tour event of the year. Ahead of his victory, Hatton took to social media to reflect on his decision to join LIV Golf. In a post shared by Flushing It Golf on X, he admitted the decision was difficult, “Yeah, and again, as I’ve said previously, making that decision to move over to LIV was really difficult and one that I didn’t take lightly. It was a week off after being here, and I honestly hated that week, to be honest.”

Joining LIV Golf, which offers only 14 events a year compared to the PGA Tour’s 47-49, was a massive adjustment for Hatton, and he didn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenge. However, his strong performance in the early part of the season is a clear statement that he’s determined to make the most of his new path, despite the criticism and skepticism surrounding his decision.

Apart from his awkward experience initially, he shared about the present and said, “But yeah, I mean, sitting here now and being able to have played DP World Tour events, you know, and again, when I signed, I feel like I went about it the right way. I spoke to the right people, and everyone knew my stance and how I felt about the DP World Tour and wanting to still play events.” He has been enjoying “the best of both worlds.” Not only is he enjoying, but setting huge benchmarks with his ranking, even being a part of LIV Golf.

Tyrell Hatton’s massive jump on OWGR

Being a LIV golfer, players struggle with their declining world ranking. The application for OWGR was rejected earlier because of the league’s different format. Now there are only a few events that could help the PIF league players retain their spot on the list. While the 33-year-old has proved to make it work for him even having the setback of LIV Golf. When Hatton joined LIV Golf, his ranking was 16th.

However, after his win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the golfer has made his way to the top 10 list. With over $1.5 million purse increase, the golfer is also getting on to the 9th position in OWGR (as per the data shared by Pro Golf Critic through a post on X). For his amazing achievement, the golfer shared his thoughts with The Guardian, “To add my name to the list of the amazing champions that have been before me, to have my name on that trophy now, is a dream come true.”

Not only him, even Rory McIlroy, who won the event in the last two editions, also praised him, saying, “He doesn’t give a flying fig what anyone else thinks, which is a really good attribute in this game.” With the great display of performance and reply to the criticism, Hatton has shown the best of his game by starting the 2025 schedule on a high. What are your thoughts on Tyrrell Hatton’s win? Share with us in the comments section below.