Tyrrell Hatton’s victory at the Dubai Desert Classic may have earned him his eighth DP World Tour title and a hefty $1,530,000 prize, but an incident on the 7th hole continues to linger in his mind. Hatton secured the win by a stroke at Emirates Golf Club, finishing with a 3-under 69 to end the tournament at 15 under. He made a dramatic comeback to edge New Zealander Daniel Hillier, who was the 54-hole leader, sealing the victory with a nerve-wracking 7-footer for par on the final hole.

Hatton confessed, “My hands were shaking. I was just praying I hit a good putt.” This victory is particularly meaningful for Hatton, who is appealing his DP World Tour suspension after joining LIV Golf nearly a year ago. His performance in Rolex Series events like the Dubai Desert Classic will be key as he sets his sights on a spot in the European Ryder Cup team this year.

Yet, despite his triumph, Hatton’s frustration was evident on the par-3 7th hole during Round 3, when he struck a tee marker in anger. “Just a bit of frustration,” he explained afterward. “Probably shouldn’t have done it. Does it make me a bad person? No. It’s just a spur-of-the-moment thing and it happened. I can’t go back and change it, so move on.”

The incident has sparked debate, with some critics questioning Hatton’s sportsmanship and temperament. Defending champion Rory McIlroy, who finished T4, had a strong final round, but ultimately came up short. As the golf world continues to weigh in on the controversy surrounding Hatton’s behavior, it’s clear that the incident has struck a nerve. As the debate rages on, fans are not shying away from expressing their thoughts on the matter.

Golf fans pile on Tyrrell Hatton

Golf fans are never one step behind in calling golfers out for their bad behavior on the field and Tyrrell Hatton is no stranger to their hate. It seems like his latest incident at the Dubai tournament is also under controversy with the golfer facing a lot of flak. “It’s official. The world of golf has gone to shit and as a product, it is pitiful,” while the other said, “Omg when he broke the tee marker yesterday I assumed he was like dfl.” 

Well, last year Tyrrell Hatton had somewhat paid the price for his behavior at the World Tour Championship in Dubai, and it seems like not much has changed this time around. The Englishman was fined by the European tour for breaching its code of conduct after a series of outbursts during the third round. Hatton’s behavior sparked a heated debate, with some critics labeling it as “unacceptable” and “a terrible influence on the next generation,” as commentator Ewen Murray put it.

But wait the rage is not over. “I hope the @DPWorldTour takes all his prize money away for his recent bad behavior”, said one fan while the other said, “DPWT when are you going to grow a set of cahoonas and stop these LIV guys playing on this tour? It’s ridiculous.” Well, Hatton only got a place at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic because he, along with several other LIV Golf players, retained their membership for the 2025 DP World Tour season.

This allowed him to compete in the event, which was the first regular stroke play tournament of the 2025 DP World Tour schedule. Hatton wasn’t alone, as other LIV Golf players like Rahm, Meronk, Reed, Pieters, Sergio Garcia, Dean Burmester, Lucas Herbert, and Joaquin Niemann also kept their membership and were eligible to compete.

Many fans were wondering if Hatton had to pay a fine for the damage he did. To this, one fan said, “Do you think they just net the cost of that tee marker out of his winnings?” But nothing like that has been revealed as of yet, one thing is clear though that golf fans are not letting this one slide. What are your thoughts on the matter? Let us know in the comment section below!