Tyrrell Hatton was in the middle of his post-round press conference Sunday at the U.S. Open when he heard a roar from the crowd. Then, his eyes pivoted to the television in the interview area. 

“He’s holed it,” the Englishman said. “Unbelievable. What a putt to win. That’s incredible.”

Hatton, of course, was witnessing J.J. Spaun’s 65-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the U.S. Open. 

Just a little while earlier, Hatton had a legitimate chance to win his first major. However, he hit his drive on the short par-4 17th into the rough and then knocked his second shot 25 feet into more rough on a downslope. Making bogey, he needed birdie to get to 1 over and match the lead. Instead, he bogeyed the 72nd hole, too, dashing his victory hopes. 

And Spaun’s birdie on the last pushed Hatton to T4 when it was all over. 

“I feel like I was extremely unlucky to finish where I did,” the LIV golfer said. “What happened on 17 is going to hurt a lot for a long time. It was the first time I’ve been in contention in a major, and that was exciting, and unfortunately, I feel like, through a bit of bad luck, I had momentum taken away from me and ultimately ended up not being my day.”

When asked why it was bad luck, Hatton got contentious. 

“Why do you think it was bad luck?” the 33-year-old said. “What kind of question is that?”

Then, he elaborated.

“You think stopping on the downslope in the rough [on No. 17]? Like, that’s ridiculous,” Hatton said. “As I said, if you’re going to miss that green, you have to miss it right in the bunker. I’ve hit a decent—obviously, not a decent tee shot, that would have been on the green, but I feel I’ve missed it in the right spot and got punished, which ultimately I don’t think ends up being fair.”

There will be more opportunities for Hatton to notch his first major, as Spaun did. But in the moment, he left Oakmont dismayed. 

“A major would have been nice to add to the list, but it didn't work out on this occasion,” he said, “but I know that I feel like I handled myself pretty well. Yeah, just I’m sad standing here with how it ended up finishing for me.”


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tyrrell Hatton Criticizes Oakmont After Late Bogey Sinks U.S. Open Hopes.

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