Hatton packs punch to lead the English charge
PAUL LAWRIE was quick to have a mischievous dig on Twitter when he discovered that all the players plastered on promotional billboards for the British Masters just happened to be English.
Yet even Scotland’s proud major champion would have to concede that, at the halfway point, they are the men who have delivered.
While Masters champion Sergio Garcia missed the cut and Rory McIlroy made it with little to spare, it was Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter and tournament host Lee Westwood who thrilled another bumper crowd at Close House, near Newcastle, yesterday, together with the local hero Graeme Storm.
With the defence of his Dunhill Links title to come next week, the impressive Hatton looks in the mood to head north with another trophy under his arm after assuming a three-stroke lead at halfway.
Then come Poulter and Westwood, part of a five-way logjam for second place that also includes two more Englishmen in Ashley Chesters from Shropshire and Yorkshireman Chris Hanson.
Westwood and Poulter are both seeking to end long victory droughts. The former has not won in Europe for five years and the latter has not won anywhere during the same period.
Just one shot further behind are two more Englishmen — Storm and Lee Slattery, making it an astonishing seven players from the host nation in the top nine.
While Poulter’s 65 was a nice present to himself on the occasion of his 10th wedding anniversary, Westwood’s performance over the first two days was remarkable given all
the duties he’s been carrying out as host.
Now 44, he lives these days down the road from Close House, where he plays a lot of social golf.
The sister of his girlfriend Helen Storey is married to course owner Graham Wylie. Local knowledge has certainly come in handy on the undulating greens, as Westwood completed 36 holes without a bogey.
The last time he did that was seven years ago, when he was world No 1 and shot 60, 64, in the Thailand Open to lead by 11.
Hatton reached the giddy heights of 14th in the world before losing his way over the summer, as he missed the cut in all four majors. His welcome revival began with a third-place finish in Switzerland earlier this month.
As for McIlroy, he shot a low-key 69 that included two bogeys in his opening five holes and is certainly in need of a low one this morning.