Hatton’s desperate to win for mum after her cancer scare
UNDER normal circumstances, Tyrrell Hatton’s mum Karen would have travelled down from Aviemore this weekend to watch her son try to win another title in Scotland, just as she did when he won the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in 2016 and last year. Fate, however, has decreed she will be watching at home. Five weeks ago, she had a successful operation to remove a tumour from a lung, so she is not fit to travel. It might be a touch corny to say Tyrrell wants to win for his mum, therefore, but it happens to be true. ‘It sure would be nice, wouldn’t it?’ said the 26-year-old. ‘I know she will be watching on television. Luckily, they caught it pretty early and the surgery went to plan. Hopefully, watching me doing well will help her recovery.’ To win, he will have to hit the ball better than he did yesterday, mind, when he rather surprised himself with a second-round 64 in the Scottish Open to lie just two shots behind the pacemaker, fellow Englishman Robert Rock, at halfway, and one shot ahead of American Rickie Fowler, who won this title here in 2015. ‘There were some shots out there where I struck the ball so badly I think I missed the grooves in my irons,’ said Hatton, wryly. ‘I was quite surprised the ball went forward. I just putted so well.’ There was an amusing moment when Sky analyst Tim Barter, a respected coach, asked Hatton whether he would be seeking a solution to his poor ball-striking by working on his game. That must have produced a few guffaws in the players’ lounge, where Hatton’s ability to compete at the highest level while practising the least of any top player draws plenty of banter. ‘No, me and the driving range are not friends,’ replied Hatton, smiling broadly. It’s certainly not laziness. The one time Hatton tried to find a solution on the range was this time last year, which led to an horrific sequence of missed cuts. Like Colin Montgomerie before him, he is just one of those players who benefits from forgetting all about the game when he leaves the links. Rock, by contrast, is always at the range, whether it be the one he owns in the Midlands, teaching a couple of players on tour or practising his own game. His swing is so good, it’s no wonder his peers have tapped into his considerable acumen. Now 41, there’s a lot at stake as Rock goes in search of not only his first win since defeating Tiger Woods to win in Abu Dhabi in 2012, but also a spot in the Open field at Carnoustie next week. An exciting weekend is in prospect with Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Masters champion Patrick Reed in touch with the leaders — but Phil Mickelson will head to Carnoustie early after missing the cut.