LIV Golf draws blank so far in bid to sign up more members of Europe's Ryder Cup team

Tyrrell Hatton tees off on the 16th hole on day two of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

LIV Golf’s bid to back up Jon Rahm’s sensational signing by also tempting some of his Ryder Cup team-mates to join the Saudi-backed circuit has so far drawn a blank.

It is understood that Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard, two other members of the triumphant European team in Rome last autumn, have both turned down offers in the tens of millions to join Rahm in making the switch to LIV.

According to the locker-room talk at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, this week’’s DP World Tour event, Tyrrell Hatton has also been targeted by the Saudis after he formed a potent partnership with Rahm as Europe regained the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on the outskirts of the Italian capital.

The Englishman has apparently said he has no intention of joining LIV but that, of course, was the message hammered home by Rahm before the current Masters champion caved in after being offered a whopping $476 million to sign on the dotted line.

The Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s £600 billion treasure trove, is current in talks with both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour after a framework agreement was struck out of the blue last June.

However, that didn’t stop the LIV Golf League, fronted by former world No 1 Greg Norman, tabling a monumental offer to make world No 3 Rahm change his mind about where he will be playing his golf this year.

The new LIV season starts in Mayakoba in Mexico next month and the clock is ticking in terms of signing up other players for Rahm’s team. US Open champion Wyndham Clark had apparently been lined up but, according to reports, that possible deal has fallen through.