Tyrrell Hatton’s transformation plays him into contention at the Masters
Tyrrell Hatton’s transformation from “headless” to dialled in over the space of 24 hours saw the Englishman produce a seven-birdie blitz as a second-round 66 propelled him into contention at the Masters.
The Ryder Cup winner could barely contain his famous fury on Thursday afternoon after his approach to the seventh hit the flagstick and spun back into a bunker, from where he made bogey.
It was one of four in a first-round 74, but he returned refocused on Friday and hit every green in regulation to be handsomely rewarded with his lowest 18 holes at Augusta, bettering his 68 in 2021.
Tyrrell Hatton shoots 66 to move into contention. #themasters pic.twitter.com/EP18EGiIJO
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2026
It would have been even better but for a six-foot par putt which horseshoed out at the last.
That dropped him to four-under, which would have been one off the lead but by the time he finished on the 18th, defending champion Rory McIlroy, in the penultimate group of the day, had extended his advantage to seven under with birdies at the second, third and fourth curtailed by a dropped shot at the fifth.
But having begun the day two off the lead, there were no complaints from Hatton, who last year branded Augusta National “unfair at times” for not rewarding good shots.
Hatton carded his first birdie since the 10th on Thursday afternoon after chipping to seven feet at the second, before holing from 10ft at the third and sinking an eight-footer at the seventh.
It was proving to be a good distance, with further birdies from a similar range coming at the short 12th and then he almost holed his pitch at the par-five 15th for an eagle.
A six-footer at the par-three 16th was his seventh birdie but, true to his sometimes


