Arriving in Abu Dhabi as the defending champion, to play a type of golf at which - history suggests - he is expert, you might expect Tyrrell Hatton to be full of the joys of spring.
Characteristically, though, the world No 22 struck a more cautiously downbeat tone on the eve of the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The move 16km from the National Course to Yas Links, where the tournament will be played for the first time this week, means a step into the unknown for all involved.
Switching from parkland to linksland golf will pose new challenges, ones which it might be assumed Hatton would be well-placed to meet.
Hatton’s first two Tour wins came at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, in 2016 and 2017. Even during the midst of a slump in form which saw him miss five cuts in the space of 10 starts last season, he managed a tie for second around the links courses of golf’s Scottish heartland.
The 30-year-old Englishman remained circumspect, though, ahead of Thursday’s opening day.
“I think it would be nice to be defending the tournament at the course that you won it at,” Hatton said. “This week is a new course for everyone, so it's hard to know what the rough winning score generally is.
“I know we've got a lot of wind forecast for Friday and that's going to obviously be a challenging day for everyone. But we'll go out there, we'll give it our best and see what happens.”
Hatton said his past results around links courses will count for little at Yas.
“I kind of struggle when we come to different places where they are not generally designed on having, or not meant to have links courses, so, in my opinion, I don't think they look right,” he said.
“You can't enjoy every golf course you play. But that being said, you still have to go out there and hit the shots.”
Hatton, who will start at the 10th tee at 7.30am on Thursday alongside Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood, acknowledged he has been struggling for motivation of late.
“My dad would say that I found [practice] a chore,” Hatton said. “I remember the winters when I was probably like 10 years old, and Dad [would say] ‘Come on, let's go to the range.’
“Don't want to go. Sort of happy being inside or trying to play football all weekend at that stage.
“Some guys obviously really enjoy their practice. They have got a good routine in that sense and they do games and stuff to try to keep it interesting.
“But I've always really struggled with that kind of thing. I definitely don't switch on to it, so I'm not really that focused whilst I'm there. It can be a little bit of a waste of time.”
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Taika%20Waititi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Hemsworth%2C%20Natalie%20Portman%2C%20Christian%20Bale%2C%20Russell%20Crowe%2C%20Tessa%20Thompson%2C%20Taika%20Waititi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')
Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')
Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Raghida, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Trolius, Ryan Powell, Simon Crisford
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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US households add $601bn of debt in 2019
American households borrowed another $601 billion (Dh2.2bn) in 2019, the largest yearly gain since 2007, just before the global financial crisis, according to February data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Fuelled by rising mortgage debt as homebuyers continued to take advantage of low interest rates, the increase last year brought total household debt to a record high, surpassing the previous peak reached in 2008 just before the market crash, according to the report.
Following the 22nd straight quarter of growth, American household debt swelled to $14.15 trillion by the end of 2019, the New York Fed said in its quarterly report.
In the final three months of the year, new home loans jumped to their highest volume since the fourth quarter of 2005, while credit cards and auto loans also added to the increase.
The bad debt load is taking its toll on some households, and the New York Fed warned that more and more credit card borrowers — particularly young people — were falling behind on their payments.
"Younger borrowers, who are disproportionately likely to have credit cards and student loans as their primary form of debt, struggle more than others with on-time repayment," New York Fed researchers said.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
