Tyrrell Hatton on Bethpage crowds: ‘I don’t think Rome comes anywhere near that’
No rest for the weary Four members of the European Rider Cup team are set to compete in this week’s Alfred Dunhill Lynx Championship a pro am tournament played on three Fife gems Carnusti Kings Barnes and the Old Course at ST Andrews Among them is three time Dunhill Links champion Tyrol Hatton who was looking forward to the change of pace alongside his dad Jeff whom he teamed with in last year’s win The atmosphere will be worlds apart said Hatton who went 3 nil 1 at Bethpage Black last week was pretty intense Hatton of course is referring to the brutal New York crowds who were relentless in their torment of the European team members and their family On Sunday night Rory Mcilroy who received the brunt of the jeering called the behavior not acceptable And a day later Derek Sprague the CEO of the PGA of America said that the organization was not happy with what he described as not the values of the PGA of America or 30+ thousand PGA golf professionals Not spared was Hatton who said he received plenty of heckles mostly about his height and hairline If it was my choice and obviously what I say isn’t really going to affect how people behave but I don’t really think that the insults is the way forward Hatton said I would much prefer it to be a respectful atmosphere You let the guys play and the best team wins rather than trying to affect the Outcome by trying to put off players or things like that Tommy Fleetwood who was also teeing it up in Scotland this week shared his opinion too There’s a big difference between a hostile environment and personal comments Fleetwood said Again I think we were all prepared for it Of all the talk that there’s been it’s not about the entire US fans or the crowd Like I don’t think that we should be sort of using that as a whole I have so many friends that are Americans and that we’re at the Rider Cup People close to me saying I’ve got to support my own team things like that That’s just what it is You’re going to get a tough environment when you get to an away rider cup Yeah personal comments can go too far And you obviously hope that that doesn’t happen again or it shouldn’t happen But it’s just so out of our control And I think Keegan and you just have to understand what you’re getting into and what you’re there for and go play golf Like I say how many people were there 50,000 people 60,000 people You can’t have a go at everyone because the majority don’t do that I have no hard feelings about it at all Hatton added that he disagrees with those who compare Beth Page to Rome two years ago Personally I don’t think they were close at all Hatton said I certainly with what I heard last Week I don’t think Rome comes anywhere near that I don’t know what else to add to that I think they are quite far apart to be honest
