Tyrrell Hatton calls into question Royal Troon setup in first round of The Open

LIV Golf star Tyrrell Hatton has called into question the R&A's setup of Royal Troon in the first round of The Open Championship.

Hatton, 32, spoke to reporters after an opening round of 2-over 73 on the famed Ayrshire links. 

The Englishman's round consisted of 16 pars and two back-to-back bogeys on 14 and 15. 

It leaves Hatton eight shots off the early pace currently set by compatriot, qualifier and major debutant Dan Brown. 

Hatton was left baffled by the decision of tournament directors to not push up any of the tee boxes in the first round as a result of the wind direction, especially at the par-5 4th and par-5 6th. It meant nobody could reach in two.

The European Ryder Cup hero also took aim at the third par-5 on the course at the 16th, a hole where players were forced to use a long iron to come up short of a stream in the fairway. 

Scroll down for Hatton's comments...

"They didn't put any tees forward," said a disgruntled Hatton.

"You can't reach any of the par-5s on the front nine. 

"Was it 15 or 16, the par-5, you're hitting a 4-iron off it. 

"Tell me a good par-5 where you're hitting 4-iron off the tee. 

"There isn't one."

Hatton also deliberated the R&A's thinking behind their setup of the tough par-3 17th. 

"Even though they've moved the tee back on 17, which I think is a shame, it's still with the wind today, you're hitting 5-iron and hoping it can stay on the green," said Hatton. 

"Rory [McIlroy] obviously hits it a lot higher and further, and he was hitting 7-iron there. It doesn't change the fact that it's a tough hole, and it's still hard to hit that green. 

"I think it's a good thing that the wind was playing down because they probably would have left the tee at the back if it was into off the left. Then do you want to watch guys hit 3-wood into a green that's hard enough to hit with 7-iron?”

Hatton is one of 18 LIV Golf players competing at The Open Championship this week.

He recently captured his first title on the LIV Golf League with a commanding six-shot victory over Sam Horsfield in Nashville. 

Many consider Hatton is the best English hope to next win a major title. 

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