Hatton can finally live American dream now he’s learned to stay cool
The first time Tyrrell hatton played pro golf in Orlando he was sharing a room each night with several fellow wannabes, playing for his own money and looking to scratch out a living on something called the hooters Tour Winter Series.
On Sunday, he partied all night at the swanky rental home he shares with his fiancée emily after collecting more than £1.2million for winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
No wonder he didn’t want to go down the route of proclaiming it a statement victory for the european Tour, following Paul Azinger’s ridiculous dismissal of the circuit. The story here was an englishman living out the personification of the American dream.
If anything, it’s even better than he could have imagined ned back in those formative e pro days in 2012 when n he had barely left his teenage years behind.
‘You have to believe in yourself and the idea back then was to get on n to the european Tour and d then the PGA Tour,’ he said. aid. ‘But to be standing here with a trophy like this, that’s when you have to start pinching yourself.’
What a game changer it will prove to be. hatton began the year with no exemption privileges to play in America. ‘It’s tough when you’re playing two tours,’ he said. ‘You’re trying to earn your way to keep playing over here in just 15 or so events against other guys who are mostly playing around 25.’
This victory, his first in America, brings with it exemption status until 2023, allowing him to pick and choose. On Sunday night in the media centre, he celebrated with a slurp of Arnie’s favourite neat vodka and a lovely toast from the great man’s son-in-law.
hatton is now on the brink of cracking the world’s top 20 and is all but assured of a Ryder Cup berth in September. excitingly for the British game, this was a victory that illustrated his growing maturity.
As the 28-year- old from Marlow acknowledged, in the past he would have been his own worst enemy on a track as tough and gruelling as Bay hill played at the weekend.
Key to that improvement was hiring veteran caddie Mick Donaghy, a no-nonsense, dry-witted Scotsman who can spot when hatton is starting to lose his head.
‘A national treasure’ hatton called him on Sunday night, but Donaghy’s role is a lot earthier than the title suggests. ‘I think I was employed to threaten to kill him on occasion,’ he said in typically droll fashion. ‘Tyrrell knows I won’t put up with any of his antics and that’s what he needs. We’re getting better.’ Watching hatton on the course when he’s takinga self-flagellation to another level — his hero growing up was Colin Montgomerie after all — it’s easy to get the wrong idea. Once he leaves the 18th green heh is a delight. On American television, David Feherty put it beautifully: ‘Tyrrell is nice to everyone bar himself.’
hatton smiled when the point was put to him. ‘I’m trying to be nicer to myself as well but it’s early in the season, so we’ll see how that goes.’
As for Azinger (above), it is worth pointing out that he was man enough to seek out hatton before the start of his final round.
‘I hope you didn’t take offence at my comments,’ the former American Ryder Cup captain said to him. In truth, hatton might have been the only one who didn’t.
Time to move on. We know how good this remarkable corps of english men really are, and we should enjoy the fact that this is their time.