Tyrrell Hatton fumes (!) at pace of play at 2024 Masters: "Poor from the officials"
England's Tyrrell Hatton was less than impressed with the pace of play of the group in front of him during the first two rounds of the 2024 Masters.
Tyrrell Hatton was less than impressed with the pace of play of the group in front of him during the first two rounds of the 2024 Masters.
Hatton played the first 36 holes of the first major of the year alongside Matthieu Pavon and Keegan Bradley.
They were behind the three ball of his LIV compatriot Patrick Reed and PGA Tour pros Sungjae Im and Kurt Kitayama.
By the time Hatton's group reached the eighth hole, the Englishman claimed, the group in front of Reed's were already teeing off the 10th.
Hatton told reporters after his round of two over 74 that it was 'pretty poor from the officials' it took 32 holes for the group to be put on the clock.
"The lads in front have been so slow," he said.
"It's pretty poor from the officials that it took 32 holes to put them on the clock.
"Yesterday they'd lost a hole and a half, and then they weren't any better even this morning, and then for the second round they were just brutal.
"Fine for them; they're not waiting on any shot that they hit. But for us, we stood in the fairway, we stood on the tee.
"It was really hard to get a rhythm, so it was disappointing that it took 32 holes for an official to go, oh, 'We've put the group in front on the clock.'"
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Slow play was a hot topic at this major last year, particularly during the final round.
Brooks Koepka also described the pace of play as 'brutal' as he put Patrick Cantlay firmly in his crosshairs.
Cantlay later denied he was playing slowly, insisting the set-up of the course meant players had to take their time.
The aforementioned Reed managed to make the cut, posting a score of level par after 36 holes.
Kitayama also made the cut on the same score as Reed.
For Hatton, scores of 72 and 74 left him on two over par for a major that he has previously admitted he has struggled to get to grips with.
This is his eighth Masters appearance and he has missed two cuts. In total, he has only managed four rounds under par at Augusta National.
"I feel like I've been a little bit unlucky these first two days," he said.
"Certainly feel like I've played better golf than what my score currently suggests or shows.
"But at least we're here for the weekend. I've got two more rounds to see if I can add to my tally of finally shooting in the 60s again."
A reporter asked Hatton about his love-hate relationship with the venue.
Haton said: "It's hard. I think the last two days, you can hit a great shot and you get a gust of wind, and all of a sudden it ends up where it probably wouldn't have done.
"Yeah, these two days, it's not really -- it doesn't give you a fair showing of how you've played.
"As I said, you hit good shots -- even putts. Like putting is so hard. Even a three-foot putt, there's no gimmes out here, and there's some pretty tough pins. It's just brutal.
"You can never just take it for granted. Even a foot putt you can miss. You just get a gust at the wrong time with some of the slopes. It's pretty intense."
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