Hatton and McKibbin leave LIV, and Rahm's Legion XIII is down to Surratt

Tyrrell Hatton and Tom McKibbin both said on Instagram on Friday that they are leaving LIV and will not sign for its relaunch. With Jon Rahm’s separation agreement filed earlier in the month, three of the four players on Legion XIII’s 2026 roster are leaving the league. Caleb Surratt is the only one who has not announced his plans.

Legion XIII won the LIV team championship in 2024 and 2025. Last year’s final in Michigan went to sudden death against Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers, and Rahm and Hatton both birdied the second play-off hole to win it. This year’s team championship, due on 30 August, was cancelled. Rahm finished first on the 2026 individual points list, with 1,574 points, and won $25,991,708 in prize money.

“Wanted to confirm that I will not be a part of LIV 2.0,” wrote Hatton, who is 35 and 26th in the world ranking. He signed in January 2024 and has won twice for LIV, most recently in Andalucía on 7 June, when he beat Rahm by two shots. His post ended: “Looking forward to seeing you all in Abu Dhabi.” The Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship at Yas Links, from 5 to 8 November, will also be Rahm’s first start since leaving LIV.

McKibbin, 23, turned down the PGA Tour card he had just earned to join Legion XIII in 2025. “I will be playing a full schedule on the DP World Tour in 2027,” he wrote. GolfMagic reports he has earned more than $18 million in official prize money but has not won an individual LIV event. He won the 2023 Porsche European Open on the DP World Tour and the 2025 Hong Kong Open on the Asian Tour.

Both will rely on the DP World Tour, whose chief executive, Guy Kinnings, has said players who sign for LIV’s relaunch will not be members in 2027, which would also rule them out of the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor (our report). Hatton has played in the last two Ryder Cups.

Friday’s other departures were Ian Poulter, who wants to play senior golf, and Branden Grace, one of LIV’s first signings in 2022. Lucas Herbert, who won two LIV events this season and finished fourth in the individual standings, told the reporter Tom Hobbs he is leaving to play the DP World Tour in 2027. Neither Herbert nor his team, Ripper GC, has announced his departure.

Players must tell LIV by Sunday 25 October whether they will sign. The money BC Partners Credit has promised, up to $300 million, depends on enough of them saying yes. Richard Bland, Cameron Tringale, Brendan Steele and Ben Campbell have said publicly that they will stay.

Sources

• Golf Channel via Yahoo Sports: Tyrrell Hatton latest star to jump ship as deadline looms
• Golf.com: Another LIV star leaves: Tyrrell Hatton exits LIV Golf 2.0
• RG.org: Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin won’t be part of LIV 2.0
• GolfMagic: Rory McIlroy’s protégé joins the LIV Golf exit queue
• EssentiallySports: DP World Tour’s ultimatum claims Hatton and other LIV pros in one day
• Australian Golf Digest: Lucas Herbert joins exodus ahead of LIV Golf player deadline
• Golf Channel via Yahoo Sports: LIV 2.0 – the players not returning in 2027
• Flashscore: Rahm leads Legion XIII past DeChambeau’s Crushers to LIV team title
• Wikipedia: 2026 LIV Golf League
• Golf.com: Ian Poulter’s LIV Golf departure adds to growing list
• Wikipedia: Tom McKibbin (golfer)