Tyrrell Hatton at the BMW PGA Championship

Do you ever yearn for simpler times?

Like when there was no VAR in football and the most controversial thing in golf was Tyrrell Hatton wearing a hoodie.

Tyrrell Hatton at the BMW PGA Championship
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Six years ago, all the golfing world cared about was whether players can wear hoodiesCredit: Getty

The DP World Tour heads to Wentworth this week for its flagship event - the BMW PGA Championship.

It is one of the few occasions where golf fans get to see some of the world's best players competing against each other.

For example, this will be just the third time Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm - arguably two of the three top players in the world - have competed against each other outside the four majors in 2026.

That is because - at the elite level - golf has been ripped apart by money and greed over the last four years.

LIV Golf drove a $5billion hole through the heart of the professional game, only to declare bankruptcy in recent months after failing to offer anything remotely meaningful for fans.

Most of that money went into the pockets of players like Rahm and Hatton, although a large amount of their contracts remains unpaid.

So in short, nobody really benefitted from the whole debacle.

These guys were already rich, they just traded in their integrity for some guaranteed cash, rather than earning it out on the golf course against the likes of McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.

But there was a time when Hatton stood for something - golfers' right to wear hoodies.

Hoodie-gate at Wentworth

Back in 2020, Hatton cruised to a four-shot victory at the BMW PGA Championship.

Tyrrell Hatton at the BMW PGA Championship
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He didn't even show remorse - the cheek of it!Credit: Getty

But despite some stellar golf, with four rounds in the 60s, the Englishman generated more headlines with his choice of attire.

He played all four of those rounds while wearing a hoodie (gasp!).

The traditional golfing world could not accept such a clear violation of its unwritten and outdated rules.

After all, why should an athlete prioritise comfort when competing at the highest level?

It is, of course, more important to look smart, as a show of respect to the golf course (so it doesn't get offended - obviously).

The backlash extended beyond social media and into the real world, with Wearside Golf Club issuing a statement to its members.

Rory McIlroy at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth
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McIlroy quickly followed suit - but not everyone was ready to accept hoodies on the golf courseCredit: Getty

It read: "In light of Tyrrell Hatton's recent success and fashion statement and following discussions on this, can I draw your attention to the club's dress code and re-emphasise that 'hoodies' are not acceptable golf attire for Wearside Golf Club, no more so in fact than designer ripped jeans.

"I hope this avoids any unnecessary misunderstandings on this subject."

What did Hatton say?

Hoodies have since become an accepted part of golf fashion.

The days of Pringle jumpers are gone, and players feel more empowered to dress for modern style and athletic performance.

Perhaps that makes Hatton something of a trailblazer.

Speaking at the time, after the third round, he said: "I was going to give out 10 of these to 10 of my followers.

Tommy Fleewtood during the PGA Championship
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Hoodies have become commonplace in the professional game since 2020Credit: Getty

"When I woke up this morning and saw something like 9,500 replies on Twitter … I wonder how many it is now at the end of this round? But the hoodies look good and there's no reason why there should be an issue with it.

"It's interesting, obviously it creates a bit of debate. People are split, they don't know if they like it or not, but I think it's a cool thing that people are talking about it, should be open to the idea of creating a more open kind of sport rather than being kind of snobby.

"I think you need to move on from that. It's comfortable when you play golf in it and it looks good, then I don't see an issue. I actually love them. I mean, they are so nice to swing in.

"It's not like jumpers from back in the day where there's no movement. They are so stretchy and keep you really warm, so on days like this, it's perfect."

As Hatton returns to Wentworth in 2026 with his professional future in limbo, he too might long for simpler times when this was the most heated controversy in golf.

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