Hatton is set to represent Britain & Ireland in the upcoming Team Cup, which will take place in Abu Dhabi from January 10-12. This competition serves as a valuable match-play experience for European golfers as they gear up for the Ryder Cup, which is set to occur later in September in New York.
By committing to the Team Cup, the 16th-ranked Hatton has reaffirmed his ambition to be part of Europe’s squad aiming to defend the trophy at Bethpage Black. Notably, Jon Rahm, another prominent figure from LIV Golf and a key player in recent Ryder Cups, will not be participating in the Team Cup. However, Laurie Canter, who has previously been a reserve for LIV but has returned to the European tour, has secured a spot on the Britain & Ireland team.
The captains for the event will be Francesco Molinari for Continental Europe and Justin Rose for Britain & Ireland. Four players from Europe’s Ryder Cup-winning team in Rome last year will also be featured in the competition: Rose, Hatton, Nicolai Hojgaard, and Tommy Fleetwood.
“This event provided valuable insight for a number of players who eventually made it to Marco Simone,” Donald remarked, adding that six of the 20 players in 2023 progressed to the Ryder Cup, with three making their debut appearances. He expressed anticipation for seeing which competitors will leave their mark next year as they pursue a spot in his lineup for New York City.
For the Team Cup selections, Donald collaborated with captains Molinari and Rose. The final roster for both teams will be determined after the Nedbank Golf Challenge, scheduled for next month.
The teams are as follows:
Continental Team: Francesco Molinari (captain), Nicolai Hojgaard, Rasmus Hojgaard, Matteo Manassero, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Niklas Norgaard, Thorbjorn Olesen, Matthieu Pavon, Antoine Rozner, and one to be confirmed.
Britain & Ireland: Justin Rose (captain), Laurie Canter, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Aaron Rai, Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, Paul Waring, and one to be confirmed.