Tyrrell Hatton's remarkable transformation from a state he described as "headless" to being fully dialled in over just 24 hours saw the English golfer deliver a spectacular performance at the Masters. A blistering second-round 66, highlighted by seven birdies, propelled Hatton firmly into contention at Augusta National.
From Frustration to Focus
The Ryder Cup winner struggled to contain his notorious temper during Thursday's opening round. His frustration peaked when his approach shot to the seventh hole struck the flagstick and spun back into a bunker, leading to a bogey. This was one of four bogeys in a first-round 74, leaving Hatton visibly agitated and off his game.
A Stellar Second Round
Returning on Friday with renewed focus, Hatton hit every green in regulation, a feat that paid off handsomely. His 66 marked his lowest 18-hole score at Augusta, surpassing his previous best of 68 from 2021. The round could have been even more impressive if not for a six-foot par putt that horseshoed out on the final hole, dropping him to four-under par.
By the time Hatton finished his round, defending champion Rory McIlroy, playing in the penultimate group, had extended his lead to seven-under with birdies on the second, third, and fourth holes, despite a dropped shot at the fifth. Starting the day two shots off the lead, Hatton expressed no complaints, a notable shift from last year when he criticised Augusta National as "unfair at times" for not rewarding good shots.
Birdie Blitz Details
Hatton's birdie spree began at the second hole, where he chipped to seven feet for his first birdie since the 10th hole on Thursday. He followed this with a 10-foot putt at the third and an eight-footer at the seventh. His precision continued with birdies from similar ranges at the short 12th, and he nearly eagled the par-five 15th after almost holing his pitch shot.
A six-foot putt at the par-three 16th secured his seventh birdie of the day. However, true to his occasionally erratic form, Hatton blotted his copybook with a three-putt on the final hole. Reflecting on this, he said, "Walking up 18 I was pretty confident that I couldn't mess it up enough that I wouldn't shoot my best score here – I mean, naturally I tried with a three-putt, so that was disappointing, to say the least. But I certainly would have taken six-under before I went out."
Overcoming Early Struggles
Recalling his frustrations from the first round, Hatton admitted, "I was absolutely headless on seven yesterday because I had gone from essentially having a very good birdie opportunity to not only has it gone back in the bunker at speed, it's gone onto the flat, and then it's semi-buried itself. I was like, sick, I've got no chance. Not good." Despite this, he managed to regroup, adding, "I still had 11 holes to go so you move onto the next hole. As headless as I would be, I still go and try my best, and it ended up being a not too-bad day as I didn't think two-over was that bad yesterday afternoon."
Other Contenders in the Mix
While McIlroy led the field, other notable players made their moves. Justin Rose, another Ryder Cup teammate, carded a 69 to finish at five-under par. His round was boosted by four birdies in five holes starting at the seventh, though he gave a shot back after going long at the par-three 12th. A birdie on the 15th secured his position.
Rose was joined at five-under by 2018 champion Patrick Reed, who was two-under for his round at the turn. Reflecting on his performance, Rose noted that last year's near miss in a play-off against McIlroy hadn't affected his current approach. "Of course I want to win this tournament. I don't really need to try any harder," he said. "I just think the experience in that is probably trying harder ain't going to help me so that's probably the dance I'm doing with myself. I know the intrinsic motivation is there."
Rose added, "I felt like I got into a bit of cruise control today. I felt like I was cruising through the round and I was on the front foot for the last few hours of the round. If I was thinking anything, I was thinking birdie. That's a nice mode to be in and that felt similar to Sunday last year (when) I felt like I needed to birdie every hole."
Hatton's dramatic turnaround has set the stage for an exciting weekend at the Masters, with multiple contenders vying for the coveted green jacket.
