“I'm just not over it” – Justin Thomas says he is ‘bummed’ by Tyrell Hatton’s move to LIV Golf

Tyrrell Hatton’s move to LIV Golf was confirmed on Tuesday. The Briton joined Jon Rahm’s new team, the Legion XIII GC and is set to tee off on Friday in Mayakoba. The 32-year-old withdrew from the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, confirming his parting from the PGA Tour. Following the move, Justin Thomas has come out to say that he’s ‘bummed’ by Hatton’s decision.

Thomas isn’t happy with Hatton’s move to the Saudi-backed series and he admitted the same. Speaking ahead of the Pebble Beach event, the 30-year-old golfer said that he’s “just not over” the European Ryder Cup star’s move. The 2022 PGA Championship winner further stated that he hoped Hatton did his “homework and research” before making the decision.

Summing up his take on the Englishman’s defection to the breakaway tour, Thomas said “it is what it is.”

Speaking about Tyrrell Hatton’s LIV Golf move at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am press conference, Justin Thomas said:

"I feel like at this point I'm just not over it. Just kind of it is what it is. I think at the end of the day I've definitely found that out over this whole process is that people obviously are going to think about it differently than others. But there's just people that they're going to make decisions for what they think is best.

I might disagree with maybe some of them, but I think at the end of the day if that's what Tyrrell thinks is best for him then that's what he's got to do. I obviously am bummed and I wish he wasn't. But it's not like I'm going to call him and give him some spiel about how he shouldn't. I hope he's done his homework and research and feels it's the best decision. But it is what it is I guess."

Justin Thomas' comments came just hours after the official announcement of the Legion XIII team, captained by Jon Rahm. Apart from Hatton, the four-man squad features 26-year-old Zimbabwean Kieran Vincent and 19-year-old American amateur star Caleb Surrat.

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Justin Thomas slams LIV Golf's offseason acquisitions

Thomas’ comment on Tyrrell Hatton’s move came after he bashed LIV Golf for its ‘offseason acquisitions,’ which includes Masters champion Rahm. The PGA Tour star doesn’t seem impressed with the breakaway tour’s business.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Thomas openly bashed the Saudi-backed circuit and said it hadn’t “gotten anything close to what” CEO Greg Norman had targeted.

Sharing his hot-take on LIV Golf ahead of the 2024 season, Justin Thomas said, via Ten Golf:

"Yeah, at least from what Greg (Norman) said, they haven't gotten anything close to what he's kind of said. It sounded like they were going to sign 10 or 15 people over however many months and haven't. I don't really know enough about what's going on to even kind of give a storyline."

Justin Thomas further stated that many LIV players still had their priorities set on the majors. The two-time major winner opined that the rebel series golfers who are “still kind of in their prime,” will play well in major championships and win major championships.