Tyrrell Hatton shared that he outperformed a surprised Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Desert Classic after gaining weight from indulging in wine and Guinness over the Christmas period. The golf star joked about feeling as sluggish as the Titanic during his first round of the tournament, dealing with the effects of the festive season weight gain.
During their round together, Hatton and McIlroy focused more on reminiscing about the quality wine they enjoyed rather than discussing fines related to playing on a different golf tour. Hatton humorously recounted McIlroy’s shock upon learning about his weight increase at the start of the year.
Having put on an extra stone, Hatton revealed his weight had spiked to 204 pounds, a significant jump from his previous weight just before the Ryder Cup. Acknowledging his December indulgence in little cardio and lots of drinking, Hatton shared his plan to shed the extra weight by cutting back on alcohol and hitting the gym.
Known for his love for a drink, Hatton admitted to consuming multiple pints of Guinness each night during previous golf challenges. Despite his lack of conditioning due to the upcoming LIV Golf tour, Hatton managed to hold his own on the course, trailing behind the clubhouse leader after a mixed performance.
Reflecting on his gameplay, Hatton described feeling rusty and stiff, attributing it to limited practice sessions. Meanwhile, McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, who also struggled in the tough conditions, avoided discussing the fines associated with conflicting tournament results.
The ongoing debate over fines for playing in alternative tours continues, with Poland’s Adrian Meronk expressing dissatisfaction with the current system. Meronk, along with other LIV Golf players, believes there should be a fair agreement between the different golf tours to address the issue of imposed fines.