By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
in Abu Dhabi
After a superb maiden season on The European Tour last year, talented young Englishman Tyrrell Hatton kicks off his 2015 campaign this week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship with ambitions abounding as he starts his search for further glories in the Gulf.
The 23 year old finished 36th in The 2014 Race to Dubai Rankings after posting five top ten finishes, including a tied tenth place here at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club 12 months ago which was followed a month later by a joint runner-up spot at the Joburg Open.
Hatton then battled a testing Royal Aberdeen layout and a star-studded field to finish fourth at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open to snatch a coveted place at The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool before again challenging for silverware with a tied third place at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
Quite a fledgling campaign, then, for the former Challenge Tour graduate, who wasnarrowly pipped to the post for the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award by Turkish Airlines Open winner Brooks Koepka.
“Last season was definitely a great rookie year and one that only exceeded all of my expectations,” said Hatton, who also finished tied sixth at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“At the start of the year, I just wanted to keep my card – like I guess all the Challenge Tour guys do.
“But getting off to a fast start was really good for my confidence and I just managed to carry that through.
“I think I would say Scotland was big and perhaps the highlight for me with just how I played in the final round in terms of the pressure that was on it with a spot in The Open up for grabs and against the sort of world-class field that the Scottish Open attracts.
“So that was probably one that stands out for me, just how I played that day with the pressure.
“It’s been a good rise up the ranks for the last two years, but hopefully I can keep improving and taking further steps onwards and upwards.”
Having exhibited no small amount of skill, tenacity and confidence during a highly impressive first year on Tour, as his second season begins, the question is: what next for Tyrrell Hatton?
“I enjoy coming out here to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar,” he continued. “Those were the three last year that I was really looking forward to playing, ‘The Desert Swing’, so it's nice to be back.
“I'd say my big aim for this year would be to get in to the DP World Tour Championship again. I would like my World Ranking to be inside the top 100 by the end of the year at least, too.
“And, of course, it would be nice to get the first win. That would be special. I’ve obviously been dreaming about that since I was a little kid so to actually do it would be quite something.”
As one of golf’s most promising rising stars, Hatton is aware of his responsibilities both on and off the golf course and has recently taken up a role as Golf Ambassador for Child Bereavement UK, whose Patron is HRH The Duke of Cambridge.
The charity, local to where Hatton grew up, supports families and educates health care professionals when a baby or child dies or is facing bereavement. Each and every year they train somewhere in the region of 6,000 people to help them to better understand the needs of grieving families.
“The aim is to just try to give something back, no matter how little it is it is always something good to do,” said Hatton. “Child Bereavement UK are a local charity, based in Saunderton near High Wycombe where I am from and they fight for a very worthy cause so I just felt it was good to promote the amazing work that they do.
“No family, or child, should have to go through that and the charity does incredible work helping them cope and helping them deal with the news if something bad happens.”
Maturing rapidly in the glare of golf’s global spotlight, in the 12 months since taking his place on the top tier of European golf Hatton has found himself propelled from 379th in the Official World Golf Ranking up to 131st place and knocking on the door of some of the game’s top events.
With talent in spades, a raft of growing interest and new sponsors to boot – having just teamed up with Hilton Worldwide, who were recently named The European Tour’s Official Hotel Supplier – you would be well served keeping your eyes firmly trained on one Tyrrell Hatton, as he looks to continue his irrepressible march up the golfing ladder in 2015.
