The road to Augusta

Tyrrell Hatton largely secured his ticket to the Masters in Scotland. Starting last year 107th in the world rankings – and a long way in every sense from Augusta the following April – Hatton missed the cut in Malaysia, but then finished in the top 20 nine times in his next 11 events.

The two most significant events in that run of fine form came in the Highlands and Ayrshire. First he leapt from 98th to 68th with a second place at the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart, then the following week nudged 13 further places higher with a share of fifth at The Open at Royal Troon.

A tie for 10th in the US PGA ensured he stayed on the verge of the all-important world top 50, but it was back in Scotland – this time at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie in the Dunhill Links – that he punched his ticket to Georgia.

Victory over a stellar field in Fife, his first on the European Tour, included a 62 that tied the Old Course record. It earned him a whopping 40 ranking points to move well inside the cut-off mark in 33rd.

“The funny thing is, I prefer a parkland style of golf to links – but I know I did really well on those Scottish links last year,” he tells TG. “I didn’t even used to do well at St Andrews, but it all just came together that weekend. It would be useful to keep doing well on links because some of the biggest events are now on them.” Hatton then nailed down his Augusta invite with a lucrative second place at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in November.