Tyrrell Hatton says he expects LIV Golf to proceed subsequent yr regardless of affirmation of job losses following the early conclusion of its season in Indianapolis final week.
The breakaway circuit that started in 2022 says it wants to seek out $350m (£257m) funding to outlive.
LIV’s season has completed early with the cancellation of its meant finale, this week’s group championship in Detroit. As an alternative, Hatton is competing on the British Masters on Thursday.
“I’d anticipate there to be LIV subsequent season,” the 34-year-old European Ryder Cup star informed reporters on the Belfry, earlier than information broke of the job cuts.
“I do know they’ve labored actually arduous to get the funding stuff in place and its full steam forward on that entrance.”
Having lost the backing of Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund (PIF), LIV’s future is underneath query. A time period sheet has been signed with a possible new backer however with no affirmation that concrete funding is in place.
A LIV spokesperson has confirmed to BBC Sport that some staff at the moment are being laid off.
“The funding dedication introduced by PIF earlier this yr will attain its conclusion. In consequence, we’re scaling again operations as we transition to the subsequent chapter of LIV Golf and work towards making LIV 2.0 a actuality,” LIV mentioned in an announcement.
“This week, we knowledgeable lots of our colleagues that their employment underneath LIV 1.0 will finish within the first week of September. We’re grateful to our staff for his or her arduous work and dedication in constructing LIV Golf, and we stay dedicated to supporting these affected by this transition.”
Amid such uncertainty, a number of LIV gamers have been linked with departing the tour, together with Hatton. The Englishman selected Queen’s I Wish to Break Free as walk-on music in Indianapolis final week.
Requested by BBC Sport whether or not something ought to be learn into his seemingly provocative selection of tune, Hatton mentioned: “No. I’ve nonetheless obtained a number of years left on my contract with LIV and as I’ve mentioned I’ve nonetheless obtained loads of tournaments to play this yr, so there’s nothing actually to give attention to apart from the golf.”
Hatton will play the remainder of the yr on the DP World Tour, which can please European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, provided that the qualifying interval for the 2027 match begins this week.
Whereas Hatton is publicly dismissing discuss of leaping ship, there’s nonetheless a powerful feeling that he and team-mate Jon Rahm could have performed their final occasions on the LIV tour.
If that’s the case, Donald would welcome their full-time return to the DP World Tour. It might enhance their probabilities of routinely qualifying for his group reasonably than having to depend on wildcard picks.
“You need to fill these six with the perfect,” Donald informed BBC Sport. “With somebody like a John or Tyrrell taking part in extra on the DP World Tour, they will have extra alternatives to fill out these high six.
“And I feel that is an excellent factor. You need your strongest gamers in these high six.”
Donald additionally revealed that he had thought-about providing qualifying factors to the LIV tour however the lack of readability over the its future made it not possible.
“It was simply an excessive amount of uncertainty to consider giving them factors for the Ryder Cup,” he mentioned.
