BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

October 11, 2020

Tyrrell Hatton

Wentworth Golf Club

Press Conference

STEVE TODD: Tyrrell, welcome, our BMW PGA Champion for 2020.

We saw a really nice photograph there this morning of you here as a five-year-old. Just give us your sense of what it means to you to be sitting here today as the champion.

TYRRELL HATTON: Yes, it's a dream come true for me, really. This was -- as a five-year-old, obviously walking around here, I always wanted to, obviously, well, be inside the ropes playing when I grew up. This is just such a massive event, and to kind of get over the line and win here is such a special feeling. It was definitely a goal in my career to win here. I'm very thankful that I managed to get the job done today.

STEVE TODD: Talk about the day, it got tied on the front nine but you managed to give yourself a bit of space there coming down 18.

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, like I said yesterday, I kind of expected someone to get off to a fast start, and I just had to manage myself and not allow myself to get in my own way. I think the experience I had in 2016 here definitely helped me today.

Although I didn't know that I had a three-shot lead playing the last hole, I was pretty nervous there, and the second shot that we've hit into the last is probably the worst shot in the history of the tournament for the champion.

So it is what it is. I'm kind of glad that I followed it up with a nice up-and-down. My short game has been really good all week, and just a nice way to sign off.

Q. Was it a case of you don't look at leaderboards ever, or you had not noticed what the position was?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, I think they switched off the leaderboard on 18 tee, so I didn't know. So I was pretty nervous stood on the tee, and you know, that was really nice to get the tee shot away. I thought that was one of the best swings of the day, and then when you get around the corner, and obviously you see the green, it's I guess just a moment I was more nervous and I didn't -- every shot I hit off a downslope this week, I kind of fatted for some reason. I think I caught the ground about two inches before the ball and it didn't even get grooves; it was so far out of the toe. I was quite lucky that it got over the hazard to be honest.

Q. I realise this is a bit like asking someone to choose between their kids, but this and the Arnold Palmer Invitational?

TYRRELL HATTON: I guess I'm very fortunate to win two tournaments at such iconic venues. You know, to win here is an amazing feeling. It's difficult to win anywhere, and you definitely can't -- I think it's hard to choose like wins over others, because you have to appreciate all of them. But right now, obviously, I'm delighted to win here.

Q. (Playing final holes coming in.)

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, so the tee shot on 15, I teed it right down. Recently I've just been able to hit -- if I tee it down and just try and hit it low, I generally nine times out of ten, hit it pretty straight. Even on the miss-strikes, it still goes straight, 11 was the same, didn't hit it very well but it was in the fairway, and I guess the bad one was 17. I really struggled drawing the golf ball, and it's not a shot that I'm comfortable with at all.

And the fact that the wind was off the left on 17 today makes it an even tougher tee shot, so I think it's easy to just hit that one a little bit right.

Q. You said you were more nervous here than you were before Ryder Cup?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah.

Q. Are you somebody that suffers from nerves usually and, when did they start to ease today?

TYRRELL HATTON: I think everyone gets nervous in general. You just have to try and manage them and try and settle yourself down, and the I think around, well, after I kind of got my tee shot away on 4, because again, I don't really like that tee shot, because you have to draw the ball, and for me, I feel like I have to hit it a bit higher to take out the trees just off the edge of the tee box.

Yeah, I was kind of fine, and I felt pretty comfortable till probably around 15 when you are kind of getting close to the end, but it's not like bad nerves, I'm just excited and I think everyone coming down the stretch feels that. You just have to, like I said, you just have to manage it and I feel like I did a good job of that in the end.

Q. You're in the Top-10 in the World Rankings, what does that mean and presumably it gives you a lot of confidence for Augusta?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, again, like that was a career goal for me to break inside the Top-10 in the World Rankings. So to win here and achieve that in the same week is very special, and of course looking forward to the Masters. I'll take confidence from this win in the remainder of the season.

Q. You talked that you learnt a lot from 2016. What have you learnt, and you maturing as a golfer, achieving a couple of dreams this year in 2020, what have you done that you are now a Top-10 player in the world?

TYRRELL HATTON: Well, I think in previous years, I just got in my own way. And again, I said earlier this week that in 2016 -- I said to my caddie on the last hole, if we shot 2-under today, we'd won the tournament, which if you had said to me going out on the first few holes, shoot 2-under, you're going to win, I wouldn't believe it.

So it's kind of -- that was a real learning curve for me that I just have to stay patient; a lot can happen in 18 holes, and I feel like that lesson kind of served me pretty well from that point to win -- well, that's fifth win on The European Tour now. It just feels crazy to say. But yeah, you need lessons like that.

Q. What's next for you?

TYRRELL HATTON: I'm playing Vegas next week, and then playing the following week L.A. and then I'll have a week off and I'll do Houston and the Masters. I'm going to come home because Emily is staying home, so if I didn't come back, I wouldn't see her for 6 1/2 weeks, which isn't too appealing.

Q. On a similar note, this year you've won on the PGA and you've now won this event and you're into the Top-10. Is the Masters, a major, your next target?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, of course. I mean, I've been fortunate to win a European Tour event. I've been fortunate to win a Rolex Series Event, and on the PGA Tour, and so I feel the next step for me, it would be nice to obviously win a WGC and then a major. That would be very special. It is very hard to win tournaments. You just have to, and golf is a funny game. You have to go out each week, try your best, and some weeks work out better than others.

Q. How did you decide on the colour of your top today?

TYRRELL HATTON: Well, I only had three colour options. So I shot my lowest round in all navy over the three days, so I thought I'd go for all navy again.

Q. How would you sum up your sort of character as a golfer? You've won now eight tournaments in your career. What makes you such a good player and a difficult player to beat?

TYRRELL HATTON: I don't know. Some weeks, it's your week and you need a little bit of luck along the way, and I think as of -- each year I've played on The European Tour, you just have that bit more experience, and the biggest thing for me is just not getting in my own way, and if I can do that, then hopefully I should be able to play well and give someone a good game coming down the stretch.

Q. I wondered, how long has your caddie, Mick Donaghy, been with you, and what does he contribute to the team?

TYRRELL HATTON: Me and Mick started working together at the British Masters last year. I've loved every tournament that we've been together. He's got so much experience. He's been on Tour for over 30 years. I think this might be his 24th win. So obviously he's seen a lot. He's worked for a lot of fantastic players. He brings a calmness, which is a good thing for me, and we get on really well.

We have a really good relationship, and I think you definitely need that when you spend as much time together as players and caddies do. Yeah, I love working with him.

Q. I noticed when you picked up the trophy, you were having a good look at it, some special names there, aren't there. How does it feel to be alongside those names?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, there's a lot of fantastic players on that trophy. It's a huge honor to add my name on to the trophy. The tournament's got such an amazing history, and to be a part of that now is extremely special.

STEVE TODD: Congratulations again.