Hatton lifts the lid on advice for LIV youngster on ‘stressful’ aspect of league

Tyrrell Hatton has revealed the key bit of advice that he has offered to his Legion XIII teammate Caleb Surratt, who turned professional to joined LIV Golf earlier this year.

Hatton – who announced himself as one of the best golfers on the planet during his time on the PGA Tour – became one of LIV’s biggest signings in January, making the move at the 11th hour by joining his Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm as part of Legion XIII.

Alongside Hatton, Rahm also opted to bring in Kieran Vincent, who was promoted to the Saudi-backed series via LIV Golf’s first ever qualifying school in Abu Dhabi during the winter offseason.

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The former Masters champion then completed his roster with the capture of one of the most in-form college players in the United States in Surratt. And the youngster has adapted to the breakaway league and professional golf well, with his best finish coming in a tie for 12th in Las Vegas.

He does however still have plenty to get used to, including the travelling, and ahead of this week’s event in Nashville, Surratt was joined by Hatton who was asked what piece of advice he had for his teammate. “I think the biggest thing is trying to teach him how to pack a suitcase properly,” the Englishman said.

“That’s been quite a stressful process for the first seven events.I think we’re getting there, but I think it’s only because he’s been able to drive himself here that he’s managed to hopefully pack everything that he was meant to pack this week.” Surratt himself opened up on being able to lean on some of the best players on the planet, noting the impact of Phil Mickelson as well as Rahm and Hatton.

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“Yeah, I think it’s kind of a — it’s a double-edged sword because I grew up — you read [the book] Phil Mickelson ‘How to Chip’ [sic] and now you’re sitting here getting lessons from Phil Mickelson. It’s pretty cool,” he said. I think there has not been any players at all that haven’t really been extremely nice to me and taken me under their wing.

“I’m fortunate to be under Jon and Tyrrell and under their kind of words of wisdom all the time. It’s vital for a young player to kind of — and a true blessing to be able to come up under something like that.I think I’ve learned in my four or five months on LIV now what I fully believe it would have taken me many years asa professional doing it on my own to learn.”

Despite his lack of experience though, Surratt is more than confident that he is good enough to compete against Rahm and co. “On the other side of it, I feel like I can compete,” he added. “I feel like I’m good enough to be out here and I’m excited to, like, feel like I’m in a spot to start going head-to-toe with a lot of the best players because I want to take advantage of that knowledge. It’s not just for fun.I’m working hard, and I’m trying to learn from the best.”