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Tyrrell Hatton was told he looks like a “Tesco bouncer” by the Ryder Cup ‘heckler’ who was hired to hurl abuse at him at last week’s Team Cup.
Hatton held off New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier to win the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday, earning crucial early Ryder Cup points in his bid for an automatic European berth.
The £1.3million win came just a week after Hatton shone in the Team Cup, the Ryder Cup warm-up event played between hopefuls from Great Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe, just an hour down the road in Abu Dhabi.
And it later emerged that extra measures were taken in an attempt to simulate the mayhem that the European players are anticipating at a raucous Bethpage Black come September.
bunkered.co.uk revealed this week that captain Luke Donald brought an American comedian over to taunt the combustible Hatton at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
• Tyrrell Hatton explains furious outburst at Dubai Desert Classic
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“They had an American guy there shouting all sorts at us,” said Jordan Smith, Hatton’s teammate on the winning GB&I team. “He was an American comedian.
“He said to Tyrrell that he looks like a reborn Amish farmer because of his beard. He was trying to put everyone off, saying you’re going to put it in the water, you’re going to hit a s*** shot.”
It turns out that wasn’t the only abuse Hatton received.
“He actually said that I looked like a bouncer for Tesco’s,” Hatton laughed in his press conference after lifting his fifth Rolex Series title. “It was a pretty loose December to be fair, so I’ll let that one slide!
“The New York crowd are going to be very passionate for their own, and there’s no secrets there. There’s going to be tons of support for the US team. They are playing at home. But it will be nice to have a little bit of European support as well.”
Hatton, of course, is absolutely desperate to be on Donald’s team come September and provided another compelling case for his selection at the Emirates Club with a second victory in five starts.
• Tyrrell Hatton explains furious outburst at Dubai Desert Classic
• Dustin Johnson axes LIV star for 2025 season
“It randomly popped into my head thinking about, it would be nice to get over the line because I need the points,” Hatton admitted, after what will be his final regular Ryder Cup qualification event outside of the four majors.
“That was just like a random thought as I looked at the leaderboard. I think it was on the 17th green, actually. This week was massive for me. The last few events last year on the DP World Tour were huge for me as well in terms of trying to earn the points that I need to. Hopefully I can continue to do that.”
Rory McIlroy was certainly in no doubt about Hatton’s Bethpage credentials after falling three shots shy of his European teammate in Dubai.
“He doesn’t give a flying fig what anyone else thinks which is a really good attribute to have in the game,” McIlroy said as Hatton closed out his victory.
“He’ll be amazing in New York. He’s proved that over the last three Ryder Cups. He’s a massive asset for the European team.”
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