Tyrrell Hatton Spotted Testing New Ping G450 Driver in Abu Dhabi

By Staff Writer

November 4, 2026

2 min read

Tyrrell Hatton during the 2025 Ryder Cup

Bryan Berlin / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Key takeaways

Tyrrell Hatton used a driver believed to be the Ping G450 LST during a practice round for the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.
Ping's G450 line, which includes Max, LST and SFT models plus a mini driver, reached the USGA's Conforming List earlier this week.
Hatton also switched shafts, moving from a blue Mitsubishi Diamana TB 60 TX to a black-and-white Diamana model.
It's his first start since officially leaving the LIV Golf League, in the first of two DP World Tour season-ending playoff events.
Three other Ping staff players — Joe Dean, Dan Bradbury and Thriston Lawrence — are also in the 70-man field at Yas Links.

Tyrrell Hatton was seen hitting a new Ping driver during his practice round for the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, days after Ping's next driver family appeared on the USGA's Conforming List.

What driver was Hatton using?

The club is believed to be the LST, or low-spin, version of Ping's new G450 driver, identified by a back weight port and the Carbonfly Wrap crown that mark Ping's recent drivers and fairway woods. Ping has not confirmed the model. Hatton had alternated between the G430 LST and G440 LST through the 2026 season before this week, and he also switched shafts — see the table below.

Event	Driver	Shaft
2026 season (prior)	Ping G430 LST / G440 LST (alternating)	Mitsubishi Diamana TB 60 TX (blue)
Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship (practice)	Ping G450 LST (believed)	Mitsubishi Diamana, black/white colorway (model unconfirmed)

What is on Ping's new Conforming List entry?

Ping's filing covers three driver heads — Max, LST and SFT (Low Spin and Straight Flight) — plus a MiniMax model, likely a retail version of the mini driver Ping has tested on tour for much of the year. No release date or pricing has been announced.

A Conforming List filing is the regulatory step, not the retail one — the public launch still has to follow.

One recent precedent in Abu Dhabi: Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood tested TaylorMade's Qi4D drivers at last year's HSBC Championship, and TaylorMade released that range in early January.

Why is Hatton playing in Abu Dhabi?

It's Hatton's first start since officially leaving the LIV Golf League. The Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship at Yas Links is the first of two DP World Tour playoff events closing out the season, with Hatton one of 70 players in the field — alongside Ping staffers Joe Dean, Dan Bradbury and Thriston Lawrence.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ping G450 available to buy yet?

No release date or price has been announced. Appearing on the Conforming List is a required step before a club can be used in competition, and it doesn't guarantee an imminent retail launch.

What's the difference between the LST and SFT models in Ping's G450 line?

LST stands for Low Spin, built for players who want a flatter, less-spinny flight. SFT stands for Straight Flight, Ping's draw-biased model for players fighting a slice.