FARMINGDALE, NY (AP) — With wine, margaritas, and a strange concoction of “strawberry lemonade vodka,” Tyrrell Hatton’s celebration for making the Ryder Cup team was quite the event. Thanks to his standout performance alongside teammate — and fellow partygoer — Jon Rahm, Europe might have another reason to celebrate Sunday. On Saturday morning, Hatton and Rahm earned another victory, defeating Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay 3 and 2, remaining undefeated as a Ryder Cup team.
With a 4-0 record in foursomes, they are closing in on the iconic "Spanish Armada" of Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal, who hold the record for most points accumulated by teammates in that format.
Recalling their limited interaction in 2018 in Paris, when they were Ryder Cup rookies, Hatton, from England, and Rahm, from Spain, have forged a strong friendship, strengthened by being teammates at LIV Golf, which may be contributing to their dominance in the game. “We’ve shared the golf course for many holes, and it’s absolutely incredible to watch him play. What he did on the greens today was spectacular,” Rahm said after the morning victory.
A team in tune
Despite going out with different partners in the afternoon, Hatton and Rahm seem to perform better together, two players who have changed somewhat physically but who have perfect chemistry to handle the ups and downs of match play. “He’s a great playing partner,” Hatton said. “He hits incredible shots in very special moments. He’s an incredible player and a good person to walk the fairways with.”
LIV players face a tricky road to the Ryder Cup, with few opportunities to accumulate ranking points. Hatton made the most of those he had, achieving a win in Dubai, a tie for fourth at the US Open, and a tie for 14th at the Masters. However, he thought he might be overtaken in the European rankings by season's end. When captain Luke Donald called to inform him that his place among the six automatic qualifiers was secured and that he would be making the team for a fourth consecutive time, the party began.
They had recently finished playing in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and were celebrating not only Hatton's inclusion in the Ryder Cup, but also their team title at LIV Golf — Legion III, captained by Rahm. Hatton drank too much and ended up sick: “I don't want to feel like that the next day. Yeah, it was aggressive,” he admitted. Rahm, for his part, understood the reason for the celebration. “What he did was extraordinary. I understand the pride he felt and why he wanted to celebrate, and it was the end of the season for us,” Rahm recalled just before the Ryder Cup began.
Recovery and success
Both have clearly recovered. Hatton and Rahm defeated Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas 4 and 3 in the event opener on Friday before exiting in third place on Saturday. Adding their two wins in Rome in 2023, they are tied for third all-time in foursomes points, with Ballesteros and Olazábal each accumulating 6.5 points. “Ultimately, we went out to do a job to try and earn a point for Europe,” Hatton concluded. “We’re really happy to be able to do that.”
