Tyrrell Hatton revealed shortly after winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic that he was very nervous in the final moments. The Englishman, with eight victories under his belt, including several Ryder Cup face-offs and nearly 40 Majors in the last six months, admitted that on the 18th hole putt to win the tournament, a two-metre putt for par, his hands were shaking. The best demonstration of how much this victory meant to him. “I was praying to make a good putt. It wasn’t my best area of the day, I was leaving it short, which is what happens when you’re nervous. When the ball went into the hole, I felt joy and great relief,” he said to the media in the press conference after claiming the victory.
That nervousness wasn’t the only thing Hatton confessed. The other curious announcement he made was about his equipment and the bad shot he hit on the 18th hole tee. He opted for the 3-wood to avoid bringing the right-side bushes and water into play, and the result was horrible. The shot came up short and wide, ending up in the first cut of rough, far from the flag. “I heard a very strange noise, looked at the head of the wood and saw it had a crack. One of the reasons I was praying to make the putt was to avoid going out again for the playoff because I had no idea what club I was going to be able to hit,” he explained.
Tyrrell’s visible emotion after winning in Dubai is related to many things. First and foremost, the fact of winning. “This gives me a lot of confidence. I’ve had three victories in six months, which is very important, especially because I came from three and a half years without victories.” Obviously, it’s also very important for the Ryder Cup. “I have to admit that on the 17th hole green, the Ryder Cup crossed my mind. I don’t think I need to explain again how much I want to be on the team at Bethpage. I’d like to qualify on my own merits, but if I don’t manage it because I won’t have many opportunities, I think Luke and the European team know what I can offer,” he states.
In this regard, Rory McIlroy explained that “Tyrrell has shown in the last three Ryder Cups that he is a pillar for the team. He plays very straight golf, is very good with the driver, and doesn’t invent anything on the course; he maximises his qualities and doesn’t do things he doesn’t know. Moreover, he has a great virtue for this sport: he doesn’t care what others think of him. That’s something very good and he shouldn’t change it.” To which Hatton responded: “I agree with Rory, I’m not going to change, I like who I am. I think I behave in a pretty honest way.”
For Hatton, the Dubai Desert Classic is not just another tournament. “I remember skipping school as a kid to watch golf early in the morning. I would say I was sick, although in reality, nothing was wrong with me. It’s a tournament I have a lot of affection for and I really wanted to win it. Also, even though I’m in LIV Golf, a decision everyone knows was hard for me to make last year, I’ve always wanted to play on the DP World Tour. I’ve always shown my commitment to this circuit. I love starting the year in the Middle East and hope to continue doing so,” he pointed out.
