Tyrrell Hatton slams rough justice at unfair Oakmont as golf star wails 'that's going to hurt for a long time'

Daily Record

6 hours ago

The English star suffered an horrendous break at key time as he came up just short at US Open
Tyrrell Hatton saluted amazing Bob MacIntyre as he admitted his own Oakmont pain will hurt for a long time.
The English star felt aggrieved at some brutal rough justice dished out in the epic and gut-wrenching final stages of his quest for a maiden Major.
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Hatton 's brilliant play put him into contention for US Open glory during the frantic finale before a horrendous late setback on the penultimate hole of the tournament killed his dreams.
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He offered huge and classy respect for the way American JJ Spaun subsequently finished the job with his stunning long-range putt on the last, a strike that also denied runner-up MacIntyre. That moment didn't detract from the Scot's mighty showing or his own class as he also applauded the finale from the clubhouse and his European Ryder Cup team-mate said: 'He [MacIntyre] is an amazing player. He won in Canada and Scottish Open last year. Both events, with his dad on the bag in Canada and winning his home Open was pretty epic and cool to see.
"He's a great guy and someone that I have a lot of respect for. He's had an amazing week. I'm sure he'll be disappointed with how he's just missed out, but he's played amazing. He had a fantastic week finishing second on his own. You always want to win, but I guess for Bob, he can walk off with his head held high. I think that's the reaction that every player would have for JJ's putt there, just respect and what a way to finish.'
But, while completely gracious towards the top-two finishers, Hatton was less complimentary about the rough patch and sickened at the way it unfolded for him in the closing stages.
The Londoner was in the tie for the lead at one-over with two holes to go before he missed the green to the right of the driveable par-four 17th. What happened next offered a world of frustration and agony as, instead of rolling into the bunker, his ball got snagged in the wet rough from the rain which had just delayed play and stuck on the downslope leaving him no chance.
Hatton said: 'The finish at the end hurts a lot. If you're going to miss the 17th with that pin, you have to miss it right. I did my bit. I feel like I was extremely unlucky to finish where it did. What happened on 17 is going to hurt a lot for a long time. It was the first time I've been in contention in a major and that was exciting, and unfortunately, I feel like through a bit of bad luck I had momentum taken away from me and ultimately ended up not being my day.'
Hatton was asked the specify the exacts of the bad luck and initially responded: 'Why do you think it was bad luck? What kind of question is that?' Pushed for the detail, he then said: 'You think stopping on the downslope in the rough? Like, that's ridiculous. As I said, if you're going to miss that green, you have to miss it right in the bunker. I've obviously not a decent tee shot. That would have been on the green, but I feel I've missed it in the right spot and got punished which, ultimately, I don't think ends up being fair.
'It's hard when you feel like the tournament then just escapes from you right at the end. Certainly for me, being the first time in contention at a major, to have that happen right at the end as opposed to like early in the week when you don't end up knowing if that's going to cost anything down the line, I'd say at the end of the tournament, that it makes it hurt a lot more.'
Smashed by the setback, Hatton also bogeyed the last, but says it wasn't the Major chance that got to him as he added: 'No. I've been nervous before, trying to win tournaments. And it felt the same as that, to be honest. I don't think that's a bad thing. I think I've proved to myself that I can handle my nerves because I've won big tournaments. Yeah, a major would have been nice to add to the list, but it didn't work out on this occasion, but I know that I feel like I handled myself pretty well. Just I'm sad with how it ended up finishing for me.'