No se cortan un pelo. There are 18 holes left to determine the winner of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and all the players are pointing an accusing finger at Tyrrell Hatton. Daniel Hillier, Ewen Ferguson or Laurie Canter confidently assert that the big favourite to win this Sunday at the Emirates Golf Club is the Englishman. Essentially, they suggest that anything other than his victory could be considered a surprise.
Really, it’s quite logical. In his last five tournaments counting towards the world ranking, Hatton has finished 10th, 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 5th. The sequence is impressive. Despite Hatton himself claiming he doesn’t feel completely comfortable on the golf course. Well, thank goodness. On Sunday, he will start one stroke behind the leader, Daniel Hillier, with all eyes on him. “If you look at the leaderboard, Tyrrell has the history, so he must be the favourite. Moreover, anything close to his score will mean having a chance to win,” says Laurie Canter. “I’ve never played with Tyrrell, so it will be fun. I know he’s eager to grab the trophy and it’s almost what everyone expects, but I’d love to take it too. It will be fun,” points out leader Hillier. Finally, Ewen Ferguson adds: “He’s the man to beat, let’s not kid ourselves, he’s a superstar. He’s got it all.”
Of course, if they think all these comments will impress Hatton, they don’t know him. He won’t put more pressure on himself because of what they say, just as he’s unaffected by comments about his behaviour on the course. This Saturday on the 7th hole, he again hit the tee markers after his shot, and the European Tour called him to account after the round. “It was a burst of frustration and I know it’s not right, I’m sorry. I understand what they’ve told me and I accept it, they should do what they have to do. Honestly, if the worst thing I do as a human being is that, it’s not so bad,” he notes.
Hatton imposes his own pressure. One of them is to qualify for the Ryder Cup. He won’t have many more chances to add points during the season, and a victory this Sunday would put him on the verge of being among the top six at Bethpage, although it’s impossible to make comparative calculations with other seasons, as the qualification system has changed significantly this year. In any case, he would be at 839.17 points, leading the standings unless Rory McIlroy finishes eighth or better or Rasmus Hojgaard is tied for second.
Precisely, McIlroy will be one of those trying to unseat Hatton. Rory has done the math. “I think the winning score will be -15. If I can shoot 63 tomorrow, I’ll have a chance, and I’ve done it before,” he notes. Specifically, he has shot 63, his lowest round at the Emirates, on two occasions, last year’s Saturday and Thursday of the 2014 edition. Last year he won, and in 2014 he finished ninth. “The key will be to start the round well and get through the first nine holes with at least three under,” he points out.
One of the factors to consider this Sunday will be the wind. It will blow again and in the same direction. A sustained intensity of about 20 kilometres per hour is expected, with gusts up to 30 between one and four in the afternoon, just when the winner is being decided.
