ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

March 4, 2023

Tyrrell Hatton

Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Quick Quotes

Q. You got hot on the back nine. Did something click or change from the front nine today? Or just putts started going in?

TYRRELL HATTON: No, I actually I holed some nice putts on the front nine. Sadly -- well, good thing that I holed them, because they were for par.

I holed a really good par putt on 10. And that kind of, I guess, just really got me going.

Lovely tee shot down 11. Was able to take advantage there to what's normally a pretty tough pin.

Yeah, I mean, the putts I holed on the back nine, they weren't exactly tap-ins. A lot of 'em were probably like 10, 12 feet. Which, percentage wise, you're not going to make all of them. But, thankfully, today they kind of went in my favor.

Q. What is it sometimes about this place that you seem to enjoy? Especially maybe when the conditions are tough.

TYRRELL HATTON: Well, I mean, generally in the wind I feel like if I'm, sounds stupid, but if I'm playing well I feel pretty comfortable flighting it. You have to be able to do that around here. Generally my irons have a little bit more spin than TOUR average. So even when I'm flighting it it's still going to have a bit more spin than some of the other guys. I know that helps when the greens get crazy firm.

But, yeah, you always got to putt well here. That's just a massive thing. The greens are, they get pretty brutal. Even just now, like that first putt I had on 18, it's pretty daunting when you're looking down at it. You just hoping that you get it somewhere around or inside two feet and make it as stress-free as possible.

Q. Given much thought to the changes we're going to see coming next year on TOUR with the designated events and how you might approach it? What do you, what do you think of them?

TYRRELL HATTON: To be honest, I haven't given it much thought. It still seems so far away. Like there's so much golf to play between now and the end of this season. Hopefully I can have a good year and, what is it, you need to be inside that top 50 kind of thing.

So, but, yeah, I haven't really thought about how that looks in the long run. I just kind of -- I guess as long as I play well then I'm hopefully going to be there. And if you are playing it's not a bad place to be.

Q. Did you think it was windier today? The conditions about the same as yesterday?

TYRRELL HATTON: I think there was some gusts yesterday that were probably, were definitely stronger than today. Certainly what I experienced in the last few holes of finishing my round yesterday. I thought it was, the wind was fairly consistent out there in terms of strength. Yeah, it changed directions a little bit, which made some second shots a little bit harder to judge. But it's always going to be quite tricky when the wind blows out here.

Q. You already got a red cardigan from winning this event. Have you had any fun adventures with it? And where do you keep it stashed and does it need a brother?

TYRRELL HATTON: Well, it's hung up proudly in my wardrobe here in Orlando. Yeah, it would obviously be amazing to get a second one. But there's still 18 holes to play. The leaders that went out, they have still got a lot of golf to play. If the conditions stay as they are, if they hit good shots, then they're still going to have chances to make birdies.

So whatever happens with the rest of the day, I just need to hope that -- well, I would like to think that I've got a, I've given myself a good chance going into tomorrow. That's all I really could have hoped for today was to have a great round and we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Q. You haven't taken it out for a ride or anything?

TYRRELL HATTON: No. No.

Q. Can you just describe, it's kind of the connection to Mr. Palmer. What does that mean to you?

TYRRELL HATTON: Well, I mean to win this event, it's such an iconic event for the PGA TOUR and certainly for my first win, it's pretty special. Yeah, it means a lot to me. Especially when I see it hung up in the wardrobe I always have a good feeling looking at it.

Q. As a past champion that lives here in Orlando, do you come out here much?

TYRRELL HATTON: No. To be honest, it's only tournament week that I generally come here. It's nice to -- it's nice coming here for the tournament week. I like just sort of being in my little bubble at Lake Nona when I do get a week off.

Q. This is a tough place to stay patient.

TYRRELL HATTON: You're saying it doesn't suit me? (Smiling)

Q. Exactly. How come you have so much success here?

TYRRELL HATTON: Don't know. Like what you guys see, obviously me having a head off and whatnot, generally, yeah, I'll let my frustration out, but I'm, I would still say, although I look like I'm running hot, I'm pretty good at carrying on and just getting on with the next shot, hitting that.

I might still be, I would still be angry, but I'm like still focused on what I'm trying to do. So generally it doesn't affect me too much. Obviously there are times where it goes too far and then it does affect a bit. But generally I'm pretty good at kind of just knuckling down and focusing on the next one and trying to get on with that the best as I can. Although I still might be a bit unhappy.

Q. I wanted to ask you about playing with Tiger the last round at Riviera. What do you make of his comeback after what he's going through and what you saw? I know he didn't really have it that day that great, but still.

TYRRELL HATTON: Yeah, I mean, well, like I've said before, with pretty much everyone my age, like Tiger is their golfing idol. Guys that came up watching the game and watching him win most weeks, as kids you're always drawn to superstars and obviously Tiger was definitely that.

So going out there playing with him on Sunday at Riviera when he's wearing the red, like that was pretty cool. So I'll remember that day the rest of my life. I think that's pretty special. I don't think you should be ashamed in like competing against someone, but still like obviously admiring them for what they have achieved.

I was sad that I didn't play as good as I would have liked to. Obviously I wanted to go out there and have really good round of golf to finish the tournament. But that aside, yeah, it was a very special day for me.

Q. Had you never played with him before?

TYRRELL HATTON: I have played with him before. In Mexico in the WGC. On the Saturday. But obviously I think it feels different when you're playing here in the States on Sunday, a PGA TOUR event. Especially everything that he's gone through to get back to where he is now, to be able to tee it up and play. I think the turnout with the crowds and them just showing their appreciation for him, yeah, it was pretty special to witness.

Q. What was the one shot that you felt you hit badly yesterday on that back nine?

TYRRELL HATTON: The one that kind of jumped out would be the 3-wood into 6. Obviously it's a hard shot. I knew that if it goes with the wind it's long and just dead. I held it up too much and it just, the greenside bunker on right, it stuck like right in the rough, like just on -- so I couldn't really stand. So I was basically falling over and ended up hitting in the water with a chip shot-type thing. Just like make double there out of nowhere. So that, yeah, that was the one that kind of really stung me.