Mercurial Tyrrell Hatton keeps cool under US Open heat

PINEHURST, N.C.— There was a moment in Friday’s U.S.

Open second round when you expected Mount Hatton to erupt on Pinehurst No.2.Tyrrell Hatton had just sent his approach shot on a laser at the flag on the par-4 13th hole.

The ball dented the grass on the edge of the cup and spun back off the hump-back green and into a bunker.Hatton, one of the most colorful (dare we say volatile) players in golf, was inches from making an eagle 2 on the hole and instead walked away with a bogey 5.And — hear this — he didn’t throw or snap a club, unleash an expletive-laced verbal assault at himself or even yell at his caddie.Instead, Hatton quietly carried on to the next hole and continued to play his round.This was as much an upset as world No.1 Scottie Scheffler nearly missing the cut on Friday.Hatton finished his first 36 holes in 1-under par, entering Saturday’s third round very much in contention.

“I guess 1-over in a U.S.Open isn’t the end of the world,’’ he reasoned afterward.He began Saturday’s third round on a tear, with a birdie on No.

2 and an eagle on No.5, and suddenly he was 4-under par and one shot out of the lead.The day didn’t end the way he wanted it to, though.

Hatton gave a few back and finished with an even-par 70 to stay at 1-under.He will begin Sunday’s final round six shots behind leader Bryson DeChambeau.It was the way Hatton handled the roller coaster that is the U.S.

Open that was eye-opening and makes you think he’s closer to winning one of these things.“It wasn’t my day on the greens,’’ Hatton said after his round Saturday.“I’m sort of sad about that because as it stands, [six] shots back going into tomorrow.

… I know anything can happen, especially around this golf course.“Hopefully, I can wake up with the same golf swing I had today, because I’m really happy how I’ve ended up hitting the golf ball.It’s a tall ask.

Stranger things have happened.’’Like Hatton’s new-found composure in the hea...