Tyrrell Hatton explains terrifying gunpoint robbery: "That was different..."

England's Tyrrell Hatton has opened up on the time he was robbed at gunpoint and a trouser mishap as a young amateur.

31 Mar 2023

Tyrrell Hatton explains terrifying gunpoint robbery: "That was different..." — Tyrrell Hatton explains terrifying gunpoint robbery: "That was different…

Tyrrell Hatton has explained in detail the time he was robbed at gunpoint and when 'disaster struck' over a bout of food poisoning during his first match for England.

Hatton is in decent form going into the 2023 Masters having posted a T-4 finish at Bay Hill and a runner-up finish at the Players Championship.

There is no denying that the 31-year-old is now an established player in the game, having tasted victory worldwide on seven occasions.

Barring injury, it's not unreasonable to suggest that Hatton will be in Luke Donald's European side at the Ryder Cup in September.

Just one aspect of what makes Hatton so good is how he enjoys the big moments. He doesn't shy away. If there are nerves - he doesn't show it.

So what about having a gun stuck in your face? Hatton outlined this story in an interview with the DailyMail.

The Englishman told Riath Al-Samarrai the saga unfolded when he was 23 years old playing a tournament in Johannesburg.

He noticed a red golf GTi slowing in front of the tournament bus he was travelling on in 2015.

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Hatton told the publication:

"Two guys get out and suddenly there is a gun pointed at the driver. I was on my phone at the time and my first reaction was to slide it under my lap so they wouldn't see it.

"One of the guys goes round to the left and points a gun at my manager and the other one comes to me and pushes a gun against my chest.

"I didn't know if the gun was real or not but obviously the process of finding out isn't one you want to explore, so that was an interesting time.

"They took my watch and my wallet but all I had was 80 rand, which was about £4 at the time.

"My manager had done a bit of shopping in the mall and they took that, his wallet, phone, watch. I was hiding my phone, so I was lucky to just lose the watch, but yeah, that was a different kind of experience."