Tyrrell Hatton Escapes Potential Masters Ban Despite Risky £50M Gamble

Tyrrell Hatton’s decision to move to LIV Golf for £50 million was nothing less than a gamble. It seriously risked his golf career, especially his chance to play in the majors. But for the 2025 Masters Tournament, Hatton successfully sealed his seat and evaded a Masters ban.

Augusta National is known for abiding by its traditions and welcomes past winners for a lifetime. Additionally, the winners of other majors get a five-year exemption, and the top 12 contenders from the past edition of the Masters get direct entry to the Masters Tournament. Therefore, since Tyrrell Hatton finished in ninth place on the leaderboard, he’d be getting a direct entry into the 2025 Masters, as per a report.

Hatton struggled with his performance in the 2024 Masters Tournament from the first day and finished the opening round with 72. In the next two rounds, he went on to make only eight birdies to settle for 74 and 73. Finally, in round four, his lowest-ever 2024 Masters score took him up on the leaderboard and secured him a definite entry to the 2025 Masters. So, Tyrrell Hatton, along with a few other LIV golfers guaranteed their spot in the major next year.

LIV Golfers Who Have Qualified To Enter The 2025 Masters

Other than Tyrrell Hatton, three LIV golfers who finished under the top 12 were Bryson DeChambeau (6), Patrick Reed (12), and Cameron Smith (6), which means these three golfers would evidently return in the next edition. 

Also, other LIV golfers like Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia have lifetime exemptions thanks to their previous Masters wins. Golfers like Brooks Koepka will get a five-year exemption for wins in other majors.

Only thirteen LIV players were invited to Augusta National this year, and LIV CEO Greg Norman wasn’t happy about it. Many golfers couldn’t make it to the Masters due to their low OWGR rank. But if the PGAT-LIV feud finds a resolution in the future, perhaps more LIV players will be welcomed to play in the majors next year.

About the author

Suchita Chakraborty

Suchita Chakraborty is a senior golf writer at The SportsRush. She did her post-graduation at St. Xavier's University. For a year now, she has developed a riveting inclination toward golf, with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy being her top-tier motivational figures to indulge in the sport. She even lives by the words of the Hall of Famer, "You can always become better", which impels her to excel every day. Her strong suit in golf is covering the LPGA Tour, especially the nooks and crannies of the international event, the Solheim Cup. As a pastime amusement, Suchita also engages herself in reading about golf controversies. Her favorite pick is ‘LIV and Let Die’ by Alan Shipnuck, which covers the PGA-LIV beef.

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