Tyrrell Hatton gives middle-finger salute and snaps club at The Open

As the top-ranked Briton in the field, Tyrrell Hatton was determined to leave his mark on the 149th Open Championship. However, he did not intend to do so by producing two tantrums to live long in the memory as well as in viral form on social media.

On his way to a two-over and a missed cut, Hatton made an obscene gesture on the 11th green before following it up with an audible profanity and then on the 18th enacted a club snap for the ages.

The world No 10 might be hit with fines for all three flash points, but, as ever with Hatton, he was prepared to face up to his misdemeanours.

“I was just massively disappointed,” he said after his 70. “I struggled with the pace of the greens yesterday. I found them outrageously slow. I think we certainly had the tougher of the first-round conditions but today it was very playable. I felt I had some momentum going after making birdies on the 9th and 10th then hit a good tee-shot into 11th and literally couldn’t get the club behind the ball.”

Hatton, 29, thought he would be on the green of the par-three but instead his ball rolled to the bottom of the bank, to leave a horrid shot. Inevitably, he thinned it and when his bogey putt lipped out, he raised the middle finger and then pointed at the offending spot and said, “that is absolute f------ b------”.

The TV’s microphone picked up that comment and clearly did him no favours. Inevitably, the mind went back to his starring role in the spoof European Tour video in which Tommy Fleetwood hosted a session for players renowned for losing their temper on the course. "When you're feeling glum, pop up your thumb," was the mantra by which Hatton vowed to play.

By the last, this seemed even more comical. After a mediocre approach shot to the closing par four, Hatton forced his gap wedge into the turf and stamped on the shaft, twice, to ensure it broke in half. Caddie Mick Donaghy, placed the two pieces in the compartment in the bag where the waterproofs are kept.

“Just a load of frustration had built up,” Hatton said. “I knew I had to hit that close and my wedges haven’t been good the last two days. I never seem to bring my best at the Open - nine appearances and six missed cuts.”

In truth, that is the story of his majors since finishing sixth in the 2019 Open. Five missed cuts in scene majors and just one top 20 in this time. “I try my best every single time but it’s not working for us at the moment,” Hatton said. “Just keep going and hopefully do a bit better, but this one is a tough one to take. The support this week has been amazing, I’m not used to having a reception like that on the first tee. I’m not really one of the popular players. I really appreciated that.”

Hatton was in good company. Alongside, Phil Mickelson was also fuming as he was on his way out of the gates after a 72. It was eight shots better than his opening 80 - that left him in tie for last in the 156-man field at the end of the first round - but on 12-over he was still at a loss to explain his performance.

"I haven't got it going since the [US] PGA," Mickelson said. "I will definitely take some time off now. I have played a lot more than I usually do. I usually take two weeks off after the US Open but I played the next two weeks."

"I have to figure what to do to get back to the level of golf I know I can, like I did at Kiawah, to try and contend. That is what gets me excited and makes all the work worthwhile. I love this tournament. I have worked hard and prepared and felt like I was playing well but I played some of my worst golf. I felt I was ready but I obviously played terrible."

"I will take a little time off and try to regroup. I am having some focus challenges but I will work on it."