NORTON, Mass. – It’s not often professional golfers dive into their own pockets for equipment purchases but Tyrrell Hatton is very happy he did recently. The Englishman is known as a good putter but recent struggles finally got the better of him last week through three rounds of THE NORTHERN TRUST … and he found himself in need of a new weapon on the greens. Of course equipment trucks leave PGA TOUR stops on Wednesday afternoons and head for the next site meaning Hatton found himself without access to Ping’s vast array of choices made available to their contracted stars. He was so embarrassed he couldn’t bring himself to go inside the Golf Galaxy store in Paramus, New Jersey, so he sent his caddy instead. The pair then communicated via a video call to come up with the decision to buy a Ping Sigma G Darby model for $149. With tax and grip it came to $172.72, which he proudly displayed on twitter Sunday afternoon when he shot the matching low round of his season – a 6-under 64 to move up to a T20 finish and take serious momentum into this week. And this week at TPC Boston? He’s kept it in the bag and it is paying off again. Hatton opened with a 69 before going deep on Saturday in the second round with a bogey-free 8-under 63. His best score this season needed just 25 putts. And now he sits 10 under and tied for the lead with Justin Rose after the morning wave. Coming in at 71st in the FedExCup and outside the bubble to move on, Hatton now projects to sixth. “The putter has been good. I’m more comfortable with it. Obviously, I’ve got a bit of confidence with how I putted last Sunday. So it’s nice to see the ball go in,â€� Hatton said. “I think a lot of people don’t understand that TOUR trucks leave on Wednesdays. So I didn’t have a spare with me. So it was just a case of I’d been kind of struggling with my putting for a few months, which is normally a strength of mine. “I think if you look at the stats in most weeks, I was at the bottom of putting, which is not normal for me. So I needed a change and luckily it’s worked.â€� Hatton admitted the last time he had to pay for equipment was at least a few years … “Maybe I need to start buying more stuff if it’s going to work like that,â€� he added OBSERVATIONS MERRY OLE ENGLAND … The English flag is proudly flying high on the leaderboard with Tyrrell Hatton (63) and Justin Rose (67) sharing the morning wave lead at 10 under and Tommy Fleetwood (65) sitting just two behind them. While there have been four non-American winners at the Dell Technologies Championship in the FedExCup era England is yet to claim it. In fact the only English Playoffs win at all since the inception in 2007 is Rose’s triumph in the 2011 BMW Championship. Paul Casey (70) is seven off the pace but will also be out for a strong weekend for the English fans. SMITH ROLLING ON … Australian Cameron Smith shook off a mid-year slump with his T3 finish at THE NORTHERN TRUST and now after rounds of 69-66 sits just three shots back of the morning leaders at TPC Boston. The 25-year-old is yet to make an appearance at the TOUR Championship but at 16th in the FedExCup standings looks set to end that. Smith is desperate to make the Australian World Cup team but is most likely going to need to rely on a pick from Marc Leishman if Jason Day withdraws from consideration to be at the birth of his third child. In that scenario Leishman will be picking between Smith and former Masters champion Adam Scott to join him in Melbourne in November for the marquee event. NOTABLES TONY FINAU – A second round 3-under 68 has Finau continuing his consistent season at 5 under and just five back. BROOKS KOEPKA – Second straight 2-under 69 leaves Koepka needing a big weekend but still close enough just six back. PHILMICKELSON – Dropped four shots in his opening five holes on Saturday before fighting back for a 1-over 72. Is flirting with a missed cut at 2 over. QUOTABLES I want to still see if I can get up the FedExCup. And I know if I have a really good week I am right up there.That’s funny, it ends Monday. I keep forgetting it’s already Saturday.I had a little smile about that.They’re all like gravy.I was too embarrassed.
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