Dame Laura Davies believes Tyrrell Hatton has proved he is ready to win a major this year after his success at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
Hatton won his first Rolex Series event since 2021 after holding his nerve on Sunday to fend off New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier in a thrilling finish.
The 33-year-old is yet to seriously contend at one of golf’s four majors but could be a factor at The Masters in April, should his form continue, after he also ended last season strongly on the LIV circuit and won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for a third time.
“He’s got his game in the right place. The next step is a major. Is he ready to win a major? Absolutely,” Davies told Sky Sports Golf.
“I tell you what, Augusta National, the way he’s driving it, you have to think it will suit him because he hits it both ways if he wants to.
“The next step is a major, there’s no question about that, and I’m looking forward to see what pans out for his year.”
Hatton is competing in the LIV Golf League, so will only have the four majors this year to earn further Ryder Cup qualification points.
He did not lose a match in the 2023 Ryder Cup, winning 3.5 points and is likely to be part of Team Europe, as an automatic qualifier or Luke Donald’s captain’s pick.
The top six players automatically qualify for golf’s famous team event via a single Ryder Cup Points List, with points handed out throughout the season until the Ryder Cup itself on September 26-28 in New York – live on Sky Sports.
“This event and the four majors this year are massive for me to try and earn as many points as I can to try and be an automatic qualifier, so that is a big step in the right direction,” said Hatton.
Davies: McIlroy will have a massive year
Rory McIlroy ended 2024 on a high by winning the season-ending DP World Tour Championship to win the Race to Dubai and register a sixth Harry Vardon Trophy.
After a heart-breaking end to the US Open last year, McIlroy is desperate to end his wait for a major which stretches back to 2014.
On Sunday, he charged up the leaderboard from 12th to fourth during the dramatic final round on his first outing of 2025. He was unable to win the Dubai Desert Classic for a fifth time, but Davies thinks McIlroy will take confidence from his strong finish.
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Rory McIlroy says winning the Seve Ballesteros Award is ‘a really nice compliment’ and shares the improvements he aims to make in 2025.
“He was rusty but finished fourth in a really good field. The likes of Jon Rahm missed the cut. It was a tough test and he hadn’t played for a long time and that’s a nice feeling,” she said.
“When he gets out there back on the PGA Tour, playing regularly, week in, week out, he will iron out those little wrinkles.
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“If his wedge play is as good as it was in Dubai at the end of last season, we know he misses birdies putts, but he gives himself so many chances.
“He’s going to have a massive year and I think Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele might have their hands full with Rory this year.”
Watch the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open from Wednesday and the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship from Thursday, live on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and more with NOW
