Fowler, 28 will take a four-shot lead into the closing day after birding two of his closing three holes in a round of a five under par 65 and move clear of the field at 13-under par on the Champions Course at PGA National.
Hatton is in second place having added a four under par 66 for a nine-under par tally and the reward of a last group tee time alongside Fowler in the £5.12m event.
Fowler, and a member of the victorious 2016 US Ryder Cup team, is seeking to win for a first time since capturing last year’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the European Tour and would love nothing better to end that 13-month drought in an area of Florida he has called home for some seven years.
“It would be nice to add the Honda Classic trophy to my small collection (laughing) so to have a chance of winning this tournament is special”, said the World No. 14 ranked Fowler.
“Being a resident down here for almost seven year, this is where I spend most of my time so I would like to be handed the trophy on the 18th green, but there is a lot of golf to be played”.
But then Fowler clearly recalled the first and only time he was paired with Hatton and that was in the third round of last year’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Fowler struggled shooting 76 and five shots more than Hatton, and with Hatton forging his way to an impressive share of fifth and Fowler tumbling 41 places lower down the final leader board.
Since then Hatton captured a maiden European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last October in Scotland and was runner-up in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai while he was third recently in the Dubai Desert Classic also in Dubai.
And it is something Fowler says he knows all too well.
“I keep up with the boys on the European Tour, just because everything happens almost a day ahead, so you wake up and you’re able to check scores and see what’s going on,” said Fowler.
“Tyrrell has played well. He’s made a climb in the World Rankings. I was definitely impressed with his game when I got to play with him at The Open. He’s a great ball-striker and a good guy. We had a good day that day.
“But then he dusted me that day. And I know I go out with a lead tomorrow, but really, a lead around here is nice. But I’ve still got to take care of my business and plot my way around this golf course, and not worry too much about what the other guys are doing.
“If I take care of my business and play the way I’ve been playing, I feel like I’ll be in a good spot”.
Hatton is competing this week on an invitation and in his first event of seven tournaments he will contest in the US and Mexico up to an including the May 11th commencing Players Championship.
Among his schedule is next week’s WGC – Mexico Championship and a maiden appearance in the Masters at Augusta National.
But then if he were to capture the Honda Classic he would be afforded automatic ‘Full’ PGA Tour membership meaning he could then virtually ‘pick-and-choose’ where he elects to play given he would earn a two-year exemption to the end of 2019 and not be restricted to ‘invitations’ as it the scenario this week.
However, if Hatton were to finish runner-up he would earn enough, and some $ US 700,000, to be afforded ‘Affiliate’ membership and thus be presented with a fuller 2017 PGA Tour schedule.
But none of that concerns the current World No. 14 ahead of the biggest round of his some six-year pro career.
“I am in a pretty good position, so all I can do if focus on my game and hopefully I can go out there and play well,” said Hatton.
“I came here this week not setting myself any goals and I don’t set goals most weeks, as I just go out and try and play as well as I can.
“I have been struggling a bit missing greens this week, but overall, my game is pretty solid.”
