Hatton’s hoodie and major breakthrough: Golf talking points

An Englishman’s unusual apparel and a South Korean’s long-awaited win feature in AFP Sport’s golf talking points this week:

Fashion snobs dealt a blow Tyrrell Hatton moved into the world’s top 10 for the first time with a brilliant victory in the European Tour’s flagship PGA Championship on Sunday, but had to spend much of the weekend defending his choice of clothing at a chilly Wentworth, near London. The hoodies he wore to keep warm in the autumnal weather divided golf fans on social media and sparked a debate about so-called traditional attire in the sport, often seen as a stuffy barrier to young people taking up the sport.

Hatton, who added a second 2020 win to his Arnold Palmer Invitational triumph, defended his sartorial choice, an option also favored in the past by world number three Justin Thomas to raised eyebrows from golf fuddy-duddies everywhere. “The hoodies look good and there’s no reason why there should be an issue with it,” the forthright Hatton hit back. “It creates a bit of debate. People are split, they don’t know if they like it or not, but I think it’s a cool thing that people are talking about it. “They should be open to the idea of creating a more open sport rather than being kind of snobby.”

Kim casts off unwanted record

Kim Sei-young finally shook off the tag of being the best player never to win a women’s major when she broke through at the PGA Championship in Pennsylvania on Sunday - and she did it in style. The 27-year-old, who had recorded more LPGA Tour wins than any other active player yet to win a major, carded a bogey-free 63 to win by five strokes from Park In-bee, matching the lowest round in the 66year history of the Women’s PGA Championship and finishing with a record 14-under par 266 total. Kim became the 18th South Korean to win a major since Pak Se-ri triumphed at the same tournament in 1998 to inspire a generation on the east Asian peninsula.

It was Kim’s 11th victory on the LPGA Tour to stand third in the list of Koreans behind only five-time major champion Pak’s 25 LPGA titles and runner-up Park, who has seven majors among her 20 wins on the elite women’s tour. “I dreamt of winning a major championship after seeing Pak Se-ri winning the first one for our country,” Kim said. “I didn’t know it was going to take this long. I won’t lie, I did feel the pressure. I’m so excited. I’m actually really hiding my tears.” — AFP