Words: Release
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| Tyrrell Hatton produced a golfing masterclass to stroll to victory in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship as Rory McIlroy triumphed in one of the most thrilling final round battles for the Race to Dubai title in living memory. Hatton started the day with a one-shot lead but stretched away from the field with a sublime 66 to finish five shots clear of second placed McIlroy who closed with a 67. “This is really special. I was really nervous today,” Hatton said, “I didn’t say anything to anyone in my team or even to Emily. I’ve had a bit of heartbreak around here in the past and I felt like it was going to be a difficult day. But I’m just really proud of how I played on the back nine.” “My putter was amazing and certainly saved me all week. It feels so good to win here.” The Northern Irishman is never normally content with a runners-up spot but this time it was the perfect result as it gave the double Masters champion his eighth Race to Dubai crown, tieing Colin Montgomerie’s long-standing Tour record, the Scot having claimed his titles between 1993 and 2005. “I don’t really know what to say. I remember Monty being obviously a stalwart of the European Tour, going to watch him at the World Match Play at Wentworth over the years. I remember playing with him for the first time at The London Club at The European Open in 2008. So to pull up alongside him and to win eight of these things means the world to me.” “I’m a very proud European. I’m a proud European player. I’m proud to be a part of the DP World Tour. I’m very proud of myself right now.” McIlroy was pushed all the way in the race by Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra whose three victories on the DP World Tour this season – in the Netherlands, Italy and India – saw him arrive in Dubai with a 534 point advantage. Starting one group behind McIlroy on the final day, the 26 year old from Madrid held the whip hand as the duo approached the turn, but an uncharacteristic run of three bogeys in four holes from the ninth handed the advantage back to the Northern Irishman who reached the turn in 32. The ding-dong battle was far from over however. Regrouping admirably, the Spaniard carded back-to-back birdies at 13th and 14th as McIlroy hit a seam of six par figures in a row, the latter birdie moving Chacarra back to the top of the rankings by an incredible 0.1 of a point. Still the drama was not over. This time it was Chacarra’s turn to make pars instead of birdies and when McIlroy hit a sensational approach to within a foot on the 16th, the resulting birdie three moved the career Grand Slam winner back to the number one spot. Two pars to finish saw him maintain that position but it also crystalised Chacarra’s task. Pars at the 16th and 17th meant he needed an eagle three at the 570 yard 18th to win the Race to Dubai for the first time. A perfect drive gave him the ideal platform but a pushed approach into a greenside bunker made the task virtually impossible and so it proved, a closing par five seeing him end the tournament in tied third with Finn Oliver Lindell, and second in the Race to Dubai. While the Race to Dubai excitement was unfolding in front of him, there was no such drama for Hatton who, a bogey four at the short fourth aside, produced some stunning golf as seven birdies in his closing 66 saw him win at a canter. It was the 35 year old Englishman’s ninth DP World Tour victory but, on a day where records were equalled, Hatton entered the history books on that score himself, joining his Ryder Cup team-mate Jon Rahm as the most successful player in this history of Rolex Series events on the DP World Tour with six victories. While McIlroy’s consolation for second place in the tournament was his eighth Race to Dubai crown, Chacarra’s consolation for his second place in the season-long standings was the fact he claimed the first of the ten cards available for next season’s PGA Tour from the final Race to Dubai rankings. Joining Chacarra were Patrick Reed, Casey Jarvis, Jayden Schaper, Dan Hillier, Jacob Skov Olesen, Oliver Lindell, Andy Sullivan, Bernd Wiesberger and Joe Dean. |
