Tyrrell Hatton hammered by Sky Sports Golf over shocking club snap: 'Terrible influence...'
Tyrrell Hatton snapped his golf club in frustration on the 14th hole in the third round of the DP World Tour Championship, and Sky Sports Golf's Ewen Murray came down hard on the LIV Golf star.
Sky Sports Golf lead commentator Ewen Murray hammered Tyrrell Hatton live on air as the Englishman snapped his iron in frustration on the 14th hole during the third round of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Hatton, 33, found the left rough off the tee on the par-5 14th and he was forced to lay up.
The LIV Golf star found the fairway with his second shot, leaving him in the region of 175 yards to the pin.
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After sending his third shot away, Hatton immediately hated the shot and then snapped his iron into the turf.
Sky Sports Golf's Murray was disgusted.
"Oh no, no, no... it's time for change I'm afraid, that's a terrible influence on the next generation," said long-time Sky Sports Golf lead commentator Murray.
"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?"
Watch what happened here:
To Hatton's credit, he went and chipped in for birdie.
Hatton went on to card a disappointing 71 to leave him at 9-under par for the tournament heading into the final round.
That is three shots behind Rory McIlroy, who will be crowned Race to Dubai champion for a third consecutive time and sixth overall on Sunday.
Prior to snapping his club on 14, Hatton reacted angrily to missing a short birdie putt on the 11th hole.
He said: "F*** you, f****** s*** greens" while banging his putter down on the green.
After the round, Sky Sports Golf lead host Nick Dougherty asked co-commentator Paul McGinley for his biggest headline of the round.
"It's hard to find one headline Nick, but what's going to get the headlines is Hatton's behaviour," said McGinley.
McGinley continued: "Tyrrell is not the bad guy he comes across here. All of us who know him behind the scenes know a different Tyrrell to what we see on the golf course. His behaviour is not acceptable from what we see, no doubt about it. 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 be embarrassed with what he did today and how he behaved.
"He will know, like a lot of people who have any kind of issues in their life, 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, you know what, now I do have to change. I've got to a level where this is not acceptable and that people are not enjoying me when I'm out there playing golf. I've got a phenomenal golf game, I am blessed to have a phenomenal talent in this game to play with all of the riches that are in the game at the moment and the opportunities he has, and he's got to take advantage of that and have a bit 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. But what we do know about this lad, what a phenomenal player, I'd put him in the top five players in the world. That's how good this guy is. He's not just capable of winning one major, but multiple majors because there's no weakness in his game."
Hatton was recently let back onto the DP World Tour having appealed his fines for joining LIV Golf earlier this season.
He has wasted little time in racking up some valuable European Ryder Cup points by winning a record third Dunhill Links last month.
Hatton also finished solo second at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship last week.
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