Going into the 2024 Masters, Tyrrell Hatton's best finish at the tournament was a tie for 18th. However, on Sunday, following a three-under-par final round of 69, the Englishman finished inside the top 10 and secured a spot at next year's event.
The finish was crucial for Hatton, with those finishing inside the top 12 at Augusta National securing their spot in next year's Masters tournament, an event which guarantees a lot of Official World Ranking Points.
Carding five birdies in 13 holes, it seemed that the LIV golfer was destined to challenge at the top of the leaderboard but, given the brutal nature of Augusta National, Hatton finished with back-to-back bogeys to endure a tense wait.
Thankfully, for the 32-year-old, the chasing pack struggled over the back nine at Augusta National, with the one-over-par tournament total putting him inside the top 12 and securing a spot at next year's tournament, a crucial ploy as the LIV Golf League currently doesn't have World Ranking points.
"I played some really good golf today," stated Hatton, who is amongst seven LIV golfers to secure a spot at all four Major championships in 2024. "Obviously had that really short putt to go six-under on 14, and it was such a horrible little putt to have. You're starting it a cup outside the hole from three feet and you feel like you're hitting it an inch in front of you, to try and describe it. I actually feel like I hit a really good putt, obviously just under-read it. In those situations it's easier to almost hit it too hard because you have to hit it so soft to hit it through the break, then yeah, just sort of stuttered my way in.
"It's not the worst tee shot on 17, but it's a hard tee shot. You're just blocked out if you're not in the center of the fairway. I messed up with the second shot. I was worried about hitting it too hard and then didn't hit it hard enough, and leaving yourself 50 yards there was shocking when, if I'd actually got it into the greenside bunker, it wasn't necessarily -- it still wasn't an easy up-and-down, but it was a lot easier than from where I left it.
"Then 18, I've now played that in 4-over this week. It's just a horrible tee shot for me with where the trees sort of hang. I fade the ball with driver. I really struggled to get it really neutral. I feel like I actually got a little bit lucky with where the ball finished and then obviously chipped it out and hit a pretty good third shot in.
"Seeing Will's (Zalatoris) putt, it looked on a great line, and it turned loads at the end to miss low. So then mine is literally right edge with two, three feet to go. I was like, I can't miss, and it doesn't move and stays high. It's frustrating. I've hit a perfect putt I wanted to on the last. Unfortunately it didn't go in. I just have to hope now that doesn't cost me an invite here for next year."
Thankfully, for Hatton, the bogey-bogey finish didn't affect his final position, with the Englishman finishing inside the top 12 and earning his spot for next year.
