SLYNC.IO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 28, 2022

Tyrrell Hatton

Emirates Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. I'm guessing must feel like a pretty decent day's work?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, obviously happy with that. Didn't get off to a great start with a bogey on the first hole battled back from there and played a lot of good golf today and hope that can continue into the weekend.

Q. After the drop on the first, you really hit the accelerator.

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, I gave myself plenty of opportunities most of the day and putted lovely. Hold a couple of good par putts when I needed to, and yeah, momentum was on my side today and like I said hopefully it stays here over the weekend.

I've had good results in the past and the course has been pretty good to me over the years and played pretty well last week. Game feels like it's in a pretty good spot, so see how we go?

Q. They are all new greens. None out there I'm assuming you want to blow to oblivion?

TYRRELL HATTON: No, I mean, it makes it a change to play on something that's quite firm. Normally the courses, the greens are super soft. So it presence a different challenge this week, which is nice. And for new greens, they are a little bit inconsistent at times but you're always going to get that.

But they are pretty true, which is all you can ask for.

Q. And I'm guessing that's a test that you mentally just have to embrace and relish in this instance?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, I mean, I have to try and remember that and try not to be aiming at too many other things and too hard on myself, and that's something that I'm going to have to do well this weekend. There are going to be times where we have some bad phases and it just depends how I manage those, but hopefully I can kind of get myself out and hit good golf shots again.

Q. Happy with 9-under after the first two rounds?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, happy with that so far. Not position going into the weekend and happy I'm continuing my good golf on from Abu Dhabi last week.

Q. How is it bringing that same form into a completely different test around this course?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, it's a different challenge. Obviously with the new greens, they are a lot firmer than what we played on previously, which I actually quite enjoy. So yeah, hopefully I can have a good weekend.

Wasn't a great start on 1. I struck well that tee shot. Just doesn't suit my eye, especially with the wind off the left. I naturally shape the ball left-to-right. So it seems like a pretty hard fairway to hit. But yeah, really happy with how I sort of responded to that. Hit a lovely pitch shot on 2 which kind of helped a bit with momentum and played a lot of good golf today.

Q. It's always eventful, 14th hole with that chip-in, probably an unexpected one on the card. Talk us through that.

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, I was actually thinking about duffing it into the bunker while I was over the ball. To end up getting a good strike on it, and obviously we were fortunate with it going in, but I do feel like it would have had a lot of spin. It was an interesting pin position, so probably would have gone the least ten, 15 feet past, so we probably saved a couple of shots there but need a little bit of luck sometimes.

Q. You've won a lot in your career so far, when you look at the names and the pictures behind, how nice would it be so add yours up there?

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, it would be pretty special to win this tournament. I remember when I was at school, waking up early in the morning to start watching it, and it's always been a tournament that growing up I wanted to play in. I think this is my eighth time here, and the event has been pretty kind to me with some pretty good finishes over the years. Hoping I can have a strong weekend and add to that.