Dame Laura Davies believes Tyrrell Hatton has proved he is able to win a serious this 12 months after his success on the Hero Dubai Desert Traditional.
Hatton received his first Rolex Collection occasion since 2021 after holding his nerve on Sunday to fend off New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier in an exhilarating end.
The 33-year-old is but to significantly contend at one in every of golf’s 4 majors however might be an element at The Masters in April, ought to his type proceed, after he additionally ended final season strongly on the LIV circuit and received the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship for a 3rd time.
“He’s got his game in the right place. The next step is a major. Is he ready to win a major? Absolutely,” Davies informed Sky Sports activities Golf.
“I inform you what, Augusta Nationwide, the best way he is driving it, you need to assume it is going to swimsuit him as a result of he hits it each methods if he desires to.
“The next step is a major, there’s no question about that, and I’m looking forward to see what pans out for his year.”
Hatton is competing within the LIV Golf League, so will solely have the 4 majors this 12 months to earn additional Ryder Cup qualification factors.
He didn’t lose a match within the 2023 Ryder Cup, profitable 3.5 factors and is prone to be a part of Crew Europe, as an computerized qualifier or Luke Donald’s captain’s choose.
The highest six gamers routinely qualify for golf’s well-known crew occasion by way of a single Ryder Cup Factors Listing, with factors handed out all through the season till the Ryder Cup itself on September 26-28 in New York – reside on Sky Sports activities.
“This event and the four majors this year are massive for me to try and earn as many points as I can to try and be an automatic qualifier, so that is a big step in the right direction,” mentioned Hatton.
Davies: McIlroy can have an enormous 12 months
Rory McIlroy ended 2024 on a excessive by profitable the season-ending DP World Tour Championship to win the Race to Dubai and register a sixth Harry Vardon Trophy.
After a heart-breaking finish to the US Open final 12 months, McIlroy is determined to finish his watch for a serious which stretches again to 2014.
On Sunday, he charged up the leaderboard from twelfth to fourth in the course of the dramatic remaining spherical on his first outing of 2025. He was unable to win the Dubai Desert Traditional for a fifth time, however Davies thinks McIlroy will take confidence from his sturdy end.
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Rory McIlroy says profitable the Seve Ballesteros Award is ‘a very nice praise’ and shares the enhancements he goals to make in 2025.
“He was rusty but finished fourth in a really good field. The likes of Jon Rahm missed the cut. It was a tough test and he hadn’t played for a long time and that’s a nice feeling,” she mentioned.
“When he will get on the market again on the PGA Tour, enjoying usually, week in, week out, he’ll iron out these little wrinkles.
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“If his wedge play is as good as it was in Dubai at the end of last season, we know he misses birdies putts, but he gives himself so many chances.
“He’ll have an enormous 12 months and I believe Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele may need their fingers full with Rory this 12 months.”
Watch the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open from Wednesday and the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship from Thursday, live on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and extra with NOW
