LIV Golf star Tyrrell Hatton hit the headlines during the DP World Tour Championship after being involved in several unsavoury incidents at the Earth Course.
Dame Laura Davies slammed Hatton after the Englishman used expletive language during the third day’s play in Dubai. Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray also brandished Hatton as a ‘terrible’ example to future generations.
Hatton has had numerous explosive outbursts on the golf course during his career, and there will be hope that his loss of temperament at Jumeirah Estates is a watershed moment.
However, it’s not just the Englishman who has been prone to losing his head. Here, The Golfing Gazette takes a look at the five biggest meltdowns of all time.
John Daly 1999 US Open meltdown at Pinehurst
Daly was at the top of the leaderboard after day one despite having extremely low expectations going into the US Open. However, the positivity from his opening 68 didn’t last long.
The brash American would go on to shoot 77-81-83 to finish 29 over for the tournament. However, what happened during the final round will stand the test of time.
Playing the par-four 8th, Daly saw his off-the-green putt trickle back to his feet as if often the case at Pinehurst.
However, after the ball trickled back to his feet on the second attempt, Daly completely lost the plot. The American walked up to the moving ball and smacked it back down the fairway, earning himself a two-shot penalty.
John Daly at the 2015 PGA Championship
During the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straights, Daly was once again the figure at the centre of a moment of madness.
After hitting three balls into the water, Daly eventually landed his ball on the green. Whilst walking up to par three, Daly launched his club into Lake Michigan to join the balls that had already sunk to the bottom.
Phil Mickelson 2018 US Open
During the brutal 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills, six-time major winner Phil Mickelson was involved in a controversial moment on the 13th hole.
Putting for bogey, Mickelson saw his ball fly past the hole and appear to be running straight back off the green. The lefty would subsequently run up to his ball and hit it back before it stopped, resulting in an automatic two-shot penalty. Mickelson would eventually make a ten and finish 17 over for the tournament.
“I know this should’ve come sooner, but it’s taken me a few days to calm down,” Mickelson said in the aftermath of the event. “My anger and frustration got the best of me last weekend. I’m embarrassed and disappointed by my actions.”
Emiliano Grillo at 2024 Paris Olympics
Argentine Emiliano Grillo lost his head at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 32-year-old found himself in a greenside bunker on the 10th during the second round.
After thinning his bunker shot, Grillo proceeded to swipe the sand four times in an immediate display of rage.
The commentary team was quick to point out that the sand bore the brunt of the Argentines’ anger at Le Golf National.
Brooks Koepka 2015 Honda Classic
Before he moved to LIV, Brooks Koepka was involved in an incident during the 2017 Honda Classic.
After sending two drives down the right, Koepka decided to snap his driver clean in half, which can be heard clearly on the coverage. Amazingly, the five-time major winner’s shot went straight down the middle of the fairway.
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