Tyrrell Hatton: “Being robbed at gunpoint was terrifying”

Tyrrell Hatton with the BMW PGA Championship trophy.

BMW PGA Championship winner Tyrrell Hatton talks superpowers, golfing regrets, his love of Liverpool FC and being robbed at gunpoint…

Tyrrell Hatton has had quite the year, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour before victory at the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship made him one of the top-10 golfers in the world.

We grabbed the Englishman for a quick chat, but rather than asking him all the usual questions about golf (and his hoodies), we wanted to get to know the real Tyrrell.

From his fear of the sea and sloth-like similarities, to being robbed at gunpoint and dreaming of his own bed, the Ryder Cup star reveals all.

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What is your earliest memory?

Wow, that’s a hard start… Probably charge-arsing about in the back garden on one of those little pedal things as a kid and wiping my sister out on her one. 

What scares you the most?

A lot of things, actually. I’m terrible. I’m awful in the sea. I’m fine swimming, the sea just freaks me out. I was on holiday last week, out on a boat, and I refused to get in the water so someone pushed me in and I came up flapping. I was absolutely in pieces, terrible.

Most annoying trait or habit?

I’ve not got any patience.

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Which superpower would you most like?

I’d love to be able to fly, just to avoid the queues in airports and go wherever I want, whenever I want. Strap the clubs on and off I go!

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Your closest brush with death?

I was robbed at gunpoint in South Africa and had a gun pushed into my chest.

We can’t leave that there…

It was a few years ago at the Joburg Open when we were on the hotel shuttle bus coming back from the shopping mall. As we got outside the hotel, a car pulled in front of the van and two guys jumped out and pointed a gun at the driver. They slid open both doors, pushed the gun into my chest and another at my manager. They wanted phones, wallets and watches. It was pretty terrifying.

Which animal would you be and why?

A sloth. It’s slow. And sleeps a lot. That’d be me!

If you could time travel, would you go forwards or backwards and why?

I’m going to go backwards. I’ve just finished watching Stranger Things on Netflix, which is set in the ’80s, and it just made me want to be a teenager in that era. That’d be pretty cool.

Any hidden talents or party tricks?

None. I’m very boring. What you see is what you get.

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What would you do if you weren’t a golfer?

That’s tough because golf has always been such a massive part of my life. If I hadn’t made it on tour then I’d like to think I’d still be doing something in the game, whether that’s coaching or helping in some way.

Favourite band or musician?

Ed Sheeran. I really like his stuff and anything of that style.

Favourite other sport?

I love watching football. I’m a huge Liverpool fan [Tyrrell’s wedges are stamped with Liverpool’s six European Cup wins and ‘YNWA’] and things are going pretty well with that at the moment! And I really enjoy F1.

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Favourite television show?

Stranger Things is great and I’ve just started watching The Staircase which is about the trial of a man who was accused of murdering his wife after she was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. It is really interesting because it sways you with each episode. I’m always looking for new things to watch.

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What do you miss most when away on tour?

Just home comforts really. By the start of July this year I’d only spent five weeks in the UK. Staying in your own bed and spending time with your friends and family is the biggest thing.

Craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I don’t think I’ve ever done anything that crazy. In general, I’m pretty sensible, which might surprise a few people.

Any regrets?

(Laughs) Hitting driver off the 18th tee at the DP World Tour Championship in 2016 [Tyrrell lost by a shot to Matt Fitzpatrick]. I had a one-shot lead and had been driving the ball great, but I didn’t really need to hit it there. If I’d hit 3-wood on the same line I hit my driver I’d have been fine. So I’ll take that shot back please.. 

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