Tyrrell Hatton is in action at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week, and the two-time winner was left frustrated by the pace of the greens in his second round
Tyrrell Hatton was frustrated in Scotland (
Image: Getty Images)
Tyrrell Hatton’s complaints about the pace of the greens at this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship were quickly shot down by the Sky Sports commentary team.
Having spent the majority of 2024 on the LIV Golf circuit, Hatton has returned to the DP World Tour in recent weeks in a bid to play in four events that will see him retain his membership and thus be eligible for next year’s Ryder Cup. His trip to Scotland this week marks the all-important fourth tournament he needs to tick off his tally.
And things started well for the Englishman on Thursday, as he carded an impressive seven-under-par 65 to leave him right in the mix in his quest to become a three-time champion.
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Having started his tournament at Carnoustie, Hatton’s second round saw him head to Kingsbarns, and he put in yet another impressive showing. His Friday was not without its controversies though, after LIV star was heard making complaints about the pace of the putting surface.
Missing a putt for birdie before tidying up for par on the tenth, Hatton claimed: “Oh they’re so slow. Why? Cut them…” Sky Sports’ Nick Dougherty however was seemingly left unimpressed in the commentary box. “No… you know why they don’t cut them,” he said during the coverage.
“Three rounds of golf, same pins, if they cut them quick and they get a day where it gets up to 20, 30mph winds, then they can become un-puttable. He knows that, it’s just a bit of frustration boiling over.” Dougherty’s co-commentator Dame Laura Davies then had her say.
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Tyrrell Hatton is in contention in Scotland ( Getty Images)
“That’s put him in his place,” she said of Dougherty’s assessment of the LIV star’s reaction. Aside from his frustrations it proved to be another succesful outing for Hatton, who carded a four-under 68 around the Scottish track to move him to 11-under for the tournament.
Heading into Saturday’s third round at St Andrews, Hatton is four shots short of clubhouse leaders Cameron John and Nicolas Colsaerts. Hatton is one of 14 LIV golfers in the field on the DP World Tour this week, with the event at the Home of Golf seemingly bringing the sport back together.
In the amateur side of the Pro-Am event, the two men at the centre of the peace talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan are both in the field. Not only were the two chief negotiators included on the entry list, Tour commissioner Monahan and LIV chairman Al-Rumayyan were paired together in round one alongside their pro partners, Billy Horschel and Dean Burmester respectively.
