Two players said to be hitting the ball better than anyone else on the range at The Open, ‘the noise was different’

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The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush is finally upon us, and what an incredibly exciting week we have in store.

The Open always makes for great entertainment, mostly due to the unpredictability of the golf course and what can happen on any given day.

This week at Royal Portrush is set to be one of the most exciting Open Championships in history.

The R&A have made some big changes at The Open this year, including moving drop zones to the thick rough and making the prongs at the end of the bunker rakes longer with wider gaps between them.

All 156 players in the field will be dreaming of winning golf’s oldest and most prestigious prize, and having their names engraved onto the Claret Jug this week.

There are two golfers in particular who may well be in a strong position to do just that.

Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton claim made ahead of The Open

Two of Britain’s main hopes this week are quite obviously Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton.

Despite his problems after winning The Masters, McIlroy has enjoyed a fabulous season, with three very big wins to his name.

Meanwhile, Hatton is without a victory on LIV, although he does have three top-10s to his name in 10 events played so far.

Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray spent time on the range at Royal Portrush this week, and he made a point about the two European Ryder Cup players.

Murray explained: “I spent a couple of hours on the range today. I admired many talents who are some of the best players in the sport. I saw 2 players hit the ball as purely as it can be hit. The noise was different, the flight was perfection. Rory and Tyrrell are their names. A thrill to witness.“

Murray is extremely knowledgeable on the game, and has been in and around the world’s best golfers for half a century now.

So he knows a good ball striker when he sees one, that’s for sure.

Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton’s ball striking stats from 2025

So with both players in good form on the range this week, let’s take a closer look at their driving and approach play stats from the 2025 season:

McIlroy’s ball striking statistics aren’t quite as imperious as you would imagine. And if you look at the numbers, he’s not even close to what Scottie Scheffler has produced this season, so he still has a lot to improve.

Meanwhile, Hatton’s short game is arguably his superpower, although he is a solid ball striker in all fairness to him.

Can McIlroy and Hatton challenge at The Open this week? The early evidence is that they both should be right up there come Sunday.