From few words to messy nights: How the Rahm-Hatton friendship has evolved

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Two weeks ago, Tyrrell Hatton provided very colorful and exact details of the self-described “messy night” in which he and his Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm celebrated a couple of significant achievements – specifically, Rahm winning the season-long LIV Golf Individual Championship and Hatton qualifying on merit for the Ryder Cup.

Concluded Hatton about the evening in question: “I don’t ever want to get to that state again, to be honest.”

On Thursday, the eve of this week’s Ryder Cup that once again includes Rahm and Hatton as European teammates – and most likely partners in some of the matches – Rahm provided his version. While lacking Hatton’s cringe-worthy specifics, it was still an entertaining reveal on what must have been one momentous night out.

“I don't drink a lot, but luckily I have a bigger tank to put it in,” Rahm began. “The main thing is obviously he had just found out he was qualified for the Ryder Cup, which being in LIV is extremely difficult. What he did is outstanding. I understand why he was – the pride he felt, why he wanted to celebrate. And plus being the end of the season for us.

“But the problem was the amount of things we mixed. I'm not going to get into amounts. I'm sure he did. But between wine, gin and tonic, Amaretto sours, one margarita for some reason, and then this strawberry/lemonade/vodka thing that we don't know what it was. The bartender was very creative. That was just a little bit too much, yeah.

“None of us were feeling good on Monday, but he was definitely feeling the worst.”

Compare that to six years ago when Rahm and Hatton were Ryder Cup rookies in Paris. Neither knew each other very well, nor didn’t even speak to each other until Sunday night after Europe’s win. “We both together might have said 10 words all week,” Rahm said. “We were both extremely quiet.”

Three years later at Whistling Straits, the friendship took another step. In the Friday afternoon Fourballs session, they partnered for the first time, taking on the American duo of Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler. On enemy territory, the European twosome held their own, managing a half-point thanks to a Hatton birdie on the final hole.

Perhaps even more important for their budding camaraderie, they found common ground that week. They were the only two team members who played Call of Duty; their shared interest in the video game provided a base for conversation. They also realized that their approach to playing golf was also similar. Intense. Wearing their emotions on their sleeves. Not afraid of firing off a few choice words out loud.

Two years ago at Rome, the friendship took another step as they played Foursomes on both days. The alternate-shot format can either create an unshakeable bond between golfers or cause a great divide. For Rahm and Hatton, victories over Scheffler and Sam Burns on Day 1 and Xander Schauffele-Patrick Cantlay on Day 2 certified their compatibility.

“That week is when I think our friendship really started,” Rahm said.

It’s been accelerating ever since.

A few months after that Ryder Cup, Rahm joined LIV Golf to become captain of the league’s expansion team. He convinced Hatton to join him. It didn’t take long for the duo to become the league’s most lethal 1-2 punch. They won the team title in their debut tournament to start the 2024 season in Mayakoba. They’ve won seven other regular-season team trophies, and last month capped it off with the Michigan Team Championship, in which Rahm and Hatton defeated the Crushers GC duo of DeChambeau and Paul Casey in an epic playoff.

Individually, Rahm has won back-to-back season-long Individual Championships along with two tournament victories. Hatton also has a LIV Golf win and has played even better in non-league appearances. His tie for fourth at the U.S. Open this year is his best career-result in a major, and it helped earn him the spot on merit for this week’s Ryder Cup.

Winning certainly enhances the friendship, but as that night out a few weeks ago indicates, having the opportunity the last two years to spend time together on a regular basis and enjoy each other’s company also pays big dividends. At LIV Golf, Rahm and Hatton share practice rounds, share team dinners, and share a common goal to keep Legion XIII competitive. They engage in fun games, like little chipping contests to produce the most spin – which ultimately paid off during the playoff in Michigan.

They also know that their young teammates – 21-year-old Caleb Surratt and 22-year-old Tom McKibbin – are eager to learn from them. Setting good examples while being true to their heart-on-their-sleeve emotions can sometimes be conflictive, but it’s another challenge Rahm and Hatton now share.

“I would say probably over the last two years where we've played LIV, that's really where we would have got a lot closer,” Hatton said Thursday. “Before that, at a regular PGA Tour event, we didn't often play practice rounds together. We weren't out for dinner most nights.

“So, we obviously paired well at previous Ryder Cups. And then, yeah, it's only over the last few years where we've got to know each other a lot better.”

This week at Bethpage Black offers another week to enjoy their friendship. And if the European Team should pull off the rare victory for a visiting team, Rahm and Hatton will again have another night of celebration. In case margaritas are served, just be sure to offer Rahm a proper explanation.