As far as British and Irish interest in professional golf goes, it’s usually Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy who makes all the headlines. After all, the 31-year-old is a regular PGA tournament winner and has four major titles to his name, so it’s no surprise that McIlroy frequently dominates the back pages in the British newspapers.
But lately, Englishman Tyrrell Hatton has been doing his utmost to establish himself among the best of the world. The 29-year-old, who plays on the European Tour, has been in stellar form since the first coronavirus lockdown, and recently picked up a victory in the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth, Surrey. It was a deserved triumph for a man who has shown remarkable quality this year.
Previously in 2020, Hatton had already won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a PGA Tour event, and so it’s easy to see why he’s being tipped as one of Britain’s best golfing prospects going forward. Although not young at 29 years of age, it seems as though Hatton has hit something of a hot streak, and he’ll be eager to continue that trophy-winning feeling for as long as he can.
Now, Hatton head to Augusta for the Masters, eager to avenge his previous poor performances there. While the betting exchange sites have him listed as an outsider, it would not be outlandish to suggest that Hatton could out-perform McIlroy if he can continue his supreme form into Augusta. The Englishman struggled at the Masters in his last two outings, missing the cut in 2017, finishing tied for 44th in 2018, and 56th last year.
But the upcoming edition of the Masters will be like no other, with the tournament being held in the autumn for the first time, as a result of the event’s rescheduling due to the coronavirus pandemic. It remains to be seen how much this affects conditions, but it could mean there is more of a level playing field as a result of every golfer finding their feet in strange circumstances. Hatton could benefit from this, and if he can get a feel for the course early doors, momentum could build.
It’s no lie to say that Hatton is yet to master Augusta National. His prior results at the major reflect that, but perhaps this will change this year, given the confidence the Englishman will be bringing into the tournament having won two already this year.
He’ll also be eager to prove that he can do the business at one of golf’s four big events. His record in the two majors held in 2020 so far leaves a lot to be desired, missing the cut in both the PGA Championship and the US Open. Whether it’s the pressure of competing at golf’s most historic events, or the difficulty of the courses that affects Hatton is anyone’s guess, but he’ll be determined to prove his worth in the final major of the year.
Never one to mince his words, Hatton is well aware that his performances at those two majors were not good enough, but his goal remains the same: to win one of golf’s most prestigious titles.
“I don’t read anything more into it than I just didn’t play well those weeks, and that’s golf, as we all know,” he said. ”But it’s also true that after the wins I’ve had and the progress I’ve made, it’s clear what has to be the next step. I want to start getting into contention and hopefully winning a major one day.”