Hatton stays grounded as hot streak continues

[October 16, 2017]  By Neil Robinson

LONDON (Reuters) - Tyrrell Hatton hardly got carried away after winning his second successive tournament on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Englishman may be on golf's hottest streak right now after bagging almost two million dollars in eight days, but the 25-year-old chose to celebrate winning the Italian Open by taking his caddie out for a burger.

A beaming Hatton posted the image on social media after his 15-foot putt on the 18th secured a one-shot win over Ross Fisher at Monza, the second time he has edged out his compatriot on successive Sundays after winning the Dunhill Links Championship by three shots.

Put another way, Hatton is 45 under par for his past eight rounds.

Add in his third place at the British Masters and eighth at the European Masters in September and it completes an astonishing turnaround in fortunes since he missed the cut in six of seven events over the summer, a run that led him to sack his caddie and replace him with his best friend Jonathan Bell.

Hatton is now the runaway leader of Europe's Ryder Cup rankings with a points tally double that of second-placed Fisher. The 26-year-old is also fifth in the Race to Dubai and plans to compete in four of the final five events.

"It was an amazing feeling," said Hatton of Sunday's win which lifted him to 17th in the world rankings.

"To win back-to-back is incredible. It was my birthday as well yesterday so you could say this was well-timed."

 

 England's Tyrrell Hatton celebrates winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

Yet just a few weeks ago Hatton's boorish behavior on course drew criticism from fellow pro Gary Evans, a veteran of more than 350 European Tour events.

"You're a great talent with potential but you need to grow up mate, your on course whinging and body language is a disgrace," Evans wrote on social media after the British Masters.

Hatton, who responded by saying that "nobody's perfect", has apparently taken the advice to heart.

"I was fighting myself, trying to stay patient and you know my caddie kept saying 'good things will come', 'good things will come'," he said of his final round at Monza.

"I found it hard to believe, to be honest, but tried to stay as patient as I could. In the end, I guess I got my reward."

(Reporting by Neil Robinson, editimg by Ed Osmond)

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