Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton will not join LIV 2.0, BBC Sport reports, as the troubled breakaway tour loses more stars.
Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton have confirmed they will not be part of LIV Golf's next chapter, adding two more big names to an exodus that is leaving the breakaway tour's future in doubt. BBC Sport reported the departures on Friday.
Why two more names matter
Poulter, 50, joined LIV when it launched in 2022 as a Saudi-backed project. Hatton, 35, signed up in 2024. According to the BBC, the pair have followed major champions Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen out of the door. The BBC notes that Hatton and Poulter have represented Europe in the Ryder Cup on four and seven occasions respectively, and that Poulter co-captained the Majesticks team with Lee Westwood while Hatton played for Rahm's Legion XIII team.
In a statement on social media, Poulter said he had decided not to move forward with "LIV 2.0", citing time with his family, less international travel, senior golf and other interests, along with helping his two sons pursue professional careers and developing his YouTube channel. Hatton's Instagram statement was shorter: "Wanted to confirm I will not be part of a LIV 2.0."
A league in limbo
The financial backdrop is stark. The BBC reports that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund withdrew its backing in April after putting in more than $5bn, and that LIV filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States last month. It has lined up a possible $300m in financing from BC Partners Credit to try to push on with "LIV 2.0", but only a handful of players have so far committed to the proposed 2027 competition.
According to the BBC, Rahm last week gave up a reported £75m owed to him by LIV after agreeing a separation. Abraham Ancer and David Puig are also leaving, and Sergio Garcia, Thomas Pieters, Tom McKibbin, Laurie Canter and Adrian Meronk appear unlikely to stay. Richard Bland, Cameron Tringale and Brendan Steele are among the few who have committed to the second phase.
The BBC says LIV's future could hinge on whether it can keep Bryson DeChambeau, who ESPN reported earlier this week "remains committed" to the league.
What to watch next
A tour needs a field, and losing two Ryder Cup regulars within days of a major champion is a heavy blow to any attempt at a relaunch. Whether that is fatal depends on the financing and on whether DeChambeau, the biggest name left, actually signs. Our read, as analysis and not reporting: a league with a handful of confirmed players, however well funded, is hard to sell to broadcasters or sponsors, and the next few weeks of signings will say far more than any press release.
Poulter, for his part, acknowledged that LIV has "clearly divided opinion" but said he will be "forever proud" to have been part of its founding group.
Picture credit: LIV Golf (player photos). Design: Savvy VibeZ
