DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | Tyrrell Hatton, in a manner of speaking, is on the “other” side. So, every chance he gets to play with Ryder Cup points at stake, he wants to make it count.
“It feels amazing,” said Hatton, who won the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on Sunday. “I said earlier in the week, this is one of the events that you would like to have on your CV. It’s such an iconic event for the DP World Tour. To add my name to the list of the amazing champions and to have my name on that trophy now, it’s a dream come true.”
Hatton, who joined LIV Golf last year, admitted to thinking about the Ryder Cup even during the final day.
“It did actually cross my mind, I can’t remember, it was on one of the last few holes,” he said. “It randomly popped into my head thinking about, it would be nice to get over the line because I need the points.”
He crossed the line Sunday and for now leads the European Ryder Cup points list.
Neither Hatton nor Jon Rahm have given up their DP World Tour memberships but must pay hefty fines to be able to play for appearing in conflicting LIV Golf events. They have appealed the fines, and while the appeals are pending they can play on the circuit.
“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous on the back nine to be honest. I guess I just maybe wanted it a bit too much.”
Tyrrell Hatton
While Hatton wanted Ryder Cup points from Dubai, Rory McIlroy loves playing here. He seems to own this tournament and was aiming for a third straight victory and eighth overall in Dubai (he’s won four Desert Classics and three DP World Tour Championships here).
McIlroy was seven behind after 54 holes, making him a long shot. He gave it all with a closing 66 and rose from T12 to T4 for his 12th straight top-10 finish at the event.
Hatton equalled Rahm’s record of five Rolex Series wins. Rahm, who also came to Dubai in search of Ryder Cup points, missed the cut.
Hatton began the week modestly with 71 but then kept climbing. After his second-round 65, Hatton was the man to watch even though the 36-hole leader was Ewen Ferguson, a Scotsman who has shifted his base to Dubai and lives five minutes from Emirates Golf Club.
After three rounds Hatton was still not the leader (Daniel Hillier of New Zealand was) but he was the man to beat. While leading, Hillier remarked that a Dubai win would be life-changing. The Kiwi must be ruing his bogey on the fifth, where Hatton birdied for a two-shot swing in the final round.
Hatton at one stage went three ahead but that dwindled to just one. The straight-talking and normally aggressive Englishman kept his head. He played safe over the last six holes to win by one over Hillier. The margin seemed slim, but Hatton looked in control despite admitting nervousness.
“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous on the back nine to be honest,” Hatton said. “I guess I just maybe wanted it a bit too much.”
Hillier, who won the 2023 British Masters, called his runner-up finish “bittersweet.”
“Yeah, I didn’t have my best today obviously but I fought hard all day, just barely gave myself a chance down the stretch,” Hillier said. “Hats off to Tyrrell. He was pretty solid down the stretch there. He’s class. Well done to him.”
Hatton has a fifth Rolex Series win and is now seeking for a fourth Ryder Cup start in addition to making a charge at the four majors.
V Krishnaswamy