Tyrrell Hatton gets his wish: Open organizers make subtle change to Royal Troon on Day 2

After the first day at Royal Troon, Tyrrell Hatton voiced his strong opinion about the course setup, prompting the R&A to make a slight change for the second round.

Hatton, known for his candidness, criticized the R&A following his 2-over 73 on Thursday. Starting with 13 consecutive pars, he highlighted how the organization did not adjust for the southern wind that impacted play all day. “They didn’t put any tees forward,” Hatton remarked, emphasizing the difficulty in reaching the par-5s on the front nine.

The 6th hole, the longest in Open Championship history, played as a 623-yard par-5 on Thursday. It yielded only 12 birdies and played 0.25 strokes above par, making it the eighth most challenging hole of the day.

Responding to Hatton’s comments, the R&A announced Friday morning that they had moved the tees up by 20 yards. This change came in anticipation of even stronger winds, with forecasts predicting gusts up to 30 miles per hour. On Thursday, players contended with 25-mile-per-hour gusts from the south. With the 6th hole playing into this southern breeze, it would have been even more challenging if the tees remained unchanged. The adjustment to 603 yards was intended to ease the difficulty as players continued to face tough conditions.

Hatton further commented on the demanding setup, saying, “The conditions are difficult. There are a few holes that are playing really long. Unfortunately, it seems like the trend is to make it longer to make it harder, which doesn’t make it the most enjoyable test.”

He also expressed his frustration with the 16th hole, the only par-5 on the back nine. “Was it 15 or 16, the par-5, you’re hitting a 4-iron off it,” Hatton said.

The R&A’s decision to adjust the course setup shows their responsiveness to player feedback and the challenging conditions faced at Royal Troon.