Watch: Tyrrell Hatton spits at driver as ‘C-word' controversy goes viral

Telegraph

16-05-2025

Tyrrell Hatton will almost certainly be fined for his latest tantrum that has landed him in a 'C' word controversy.
It will not help Hatton's cause that his astonishing outburst was heard live on US national TV and was in the process of going viral on social media.
Having started on the 10th, Hatton had advanced to within one shot of the lead when he reached the 18th tee. But then the LIV rebel's progress was suddenly derailed and, as it does, his temperament boiled over into the ugly.
He pulled his tee shot into the creek on the 18th and let forth. He pulled the driver to his head, spat at it and seemingly said: 'Piece of s--- c---.'
He was asked after his second-round 73 about the profanity and what he said exactly. 'You tell me,' he replied. 'Well, either way, it wasn't my finest moment on the course. But I mean, yeah, running hot in the moment. I'm pretty good at sometimes saying the wrong thing. So yeah. I'll leave it at that.'
Hatton went on to make a triple bogey on the 18th, and carded a two-over 73 to sit one under for the tournament.
He is not the first player driven to distraction and infraction by the 'Green Mile', the nickname for the final three holes here at Quail Hollow. On the first day, the field was a combined 85 under for the trio of holes from the 13th to 15th. For the Green Mile, the field was 171 over. The finish should provide an exciting finale on Sunday evening, although the networks will pray for no repeat of Hatton's X-rated scene.
Alas, this was merely standard for Hatton. At the DP World Tour Championship in November he was sanctioned. After missing a short birdie putt in Dubai, he shouted, 'f--- you, f-----g s-- greens' before banging his putter down on the green.
Hatton misses a putt from a foot! 😲
We've all been there 😅 pic.twitter.com/88C5oF9auk
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) November 16, 2024
A DP World Tour spokesperson later revealed that he would be punished: 'Tyrrell Hatton's behaviour breached the DP World Tour's code of conduct within the members' general regulations and he will be fined as a result.'
Hatton's short fuse is renowned, but even by his standards his reaction to pushing his approach on the par-five 14th at the Earth Course in Dubai was beyond the pale. The 33-year-old forced his nine-iron into the turf, ensuring that it was beyond repair and in the commentary booth, Sky Sports lead commentator Ewen Murray had seen enough.
'Oh no, no, no... it's time for change I'm afraid, that's a terrible influence on the next generation,' Murray said. 'I'm sorry to say it, I'm his biggest supporter as a golfer, but just have a look at this. Why? Why would you do that?'
"Why would you do that?"
Tyrrell Hatton snaps his club after a bad iron shot 😬 pic.twitter.com/LmVZpcS0zE
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) November 16, 2024
The incident left a stench, with Paul McGinley, the 2014 Ryder Cup captain, also declaring that Hatton must quickly alter his conduct.
'Tyrrell is not the bad guy he comes across here,' he said. 'All of us who know him behind the scenes know a different Tyrrell to what we see on the course. His behaviour is not acceptable and I think tonight when he cools down and his team, his wife have words with him, there will be a lot of humble pie.
'He will know, like a lot of people who have any kind of issues in their life, that you almost hit rock bottom before you decide I've got to do something about this. I think this could be a day when he may well realise that he's got to a level where this is not acceptable. He has to have more respect for the game and his fellow competitors. As tough as it is to watch, imagine the playing partners having to play with him and listen to him the whole way round. I think Tyrrell will realise that it is time to change, I hope he does.'
Hatton has become well accustomed to sending in cheques to the disciplinarians. When asked last year how much he had been forced to pay out in terms of punishment he replied: 'How much I've been fined? I think you'd actually be shocked.'
Quail Hollow... a literal snake pit?
There was another fright on the course after former champion Shaun Micheel shrugged off an unwelcome encounter with a snake on the fairway.
Micheel, who lifted the Wanamaker Trophy in 2003, was pacing off the distance of his third shot on the 10th hole, when he came across a snake crossing the fairway on the par five.
A HUGE snake disrupts play at the PGA Championship! 😲🐍 pic.twitter.com/haIc7bbBFX
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 16, 2025
Micheel was happy to give the snake a wide berth before a tournament volunteer stepped and used his foot to help usher the reptile out of the way and into the rough.
Out-of-town spectators were worried, but were assured by a local marshal 'that is a good snake'. 'It's a black king and they do not attack humans,' he said. 'They are useful to have around as they kill the bad snakes. They are immune to the venom of cobras and those lot and just choke them out. They're good dudes and are common in these parts.'
After hitting his third shot to 12 feet, Micheel converted the birdie putt and also picked up another shot on the 11th as he battled to make the halfway cut in the US PGA for the first time since 2011.
The 56-year-old won his sole major title at Oak Hill, beating Chad Campbell by two shots after a birdie on the 72nd hole.
He also finished second in the same event at Medinah in 2006, five shots behind Tiger Woods.