Tyrrell Hatton - A Rolex Series force to be reckoned with
Tyrrell Hatton is a man with a taste for the big stage.
His first two DP World Tour wins came on the Old Course at St Andrews in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and his other four are Rolex Series titles.
When Jon Rahm lifted the trophy in November at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, he edged one ahead of Hatton with a record five Rolex Series wins but this week the Englishman has a chance to even the score again.
Here, we take a look back at Hatton's fantastic Rolex Series record.
2017 - A maiden Rolex Series title
Tyrell Hatton made a birdie on the 18th green to claim a one-shot win in Italy
The Rolex Series made its debut in 2017 and Hatton became just the fifth man to win one of the prestige events at the Italian Open. He had missed the cut in the last three but outside of the Rolex Series he was flying, successfully defending his title the previous week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Sitting five off the lead after an opening 69 in Italy, a second-round 64 had him within four and he was just two back when he followed that with a 65. On Sunday, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Ross Fisher set the clubhouse target at 20 under and Hatton was alongside them after posting four birdies in a row from the 12th. An approach to 15 feet gave him the chance to avoid a play-off and he duly took it, rolling home to take the title and leave Fisher as runner-up for a second week in a row. "It's amazing to win once but to win back-to-back and defend in two weeks is unbelievable," he said. "To win a Rolex Series event is very special. They are new for this season and all of the players look forward to playing in them. I'm just happy that I could win one of them after a poor showing in them during the summer."
2019 - Drama in the dark in Turkey
The Englishman won a six-man play-off to win in Turkey
Hatton maintained his fine play over the next two years without entering the winner's circle but when he did win again, he did it in spectacular style at the 2019 Turkish Airlines Open. Entering round four in glorious sunshine three shots off the lead at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal, he ended it as the last man standing under the floodlights after one of the most dramatic days of the 2019 Race to Dubai. A birdie on the 72nd hole handed him a closing 67 and a place in a record equalling six-man play-off at 20 under alongside French duo Benjamin Hebert and Victor Perez, American Kurt Kitayama, Austrian Matthias Schwab and South African Erik van Rooyen. He had to chip-in to keep his hopes alive on the first trip back up the last, but a par was enough to overcome Schwab at the fourth time of asking and hand Hatton a second Rolex Series win, joining Rahm, Alex Noren, Justin Rose, Danny Willett and Bernd Wiesberger in that club. "I said to a few people on my team that if I was lucky enough to win again then I would definitely savour the moment," he said. "I think it's quite easy to take it for granted and sport's great when it's going well but when it's not going well, it kind of hits home, so I'm absolutely thrilled."
2020 - Completing the hat-trick on home soil
Hatton fulfilled a boyhood dream with victory at Wentworth
To complete one ambition is a wonderful thing, to wrap up two at the same event is a dream come true and that is exactly what Hatton did at the 2020 BMW PGA Championship. He had first visited Wentworth Club with his father and now long-time coach Jeff as a five-year-old and he finally got his hands on the trophy 23 years later. He held a share of the lead after a first-round 66 and was just one back heading into the weekend after following that up with a 67. A third-round 69 gave him a three-shot cushion with 18 holes to play and a closing 67 saw him win by four and move into the top ten on the Official World Golf Ranking. "It's a dream come true for me really," he said. "As a five-year-old walking around here I always wanted to be inside the ropes playing when I grew up. This is such a massive event and to get over the line and win here is such a special feeling. It was definitely a goal in my career to win here and I'm very thankful that I managed to get the job done today. It was a career goal to break inside the top ten in the World Rankings so to win here and achieve that in the same week is very special."
2021 - Abu Dhabi delight makes it four
Victory in Abu Dhabi two years ago was Hatton's sixth and most recent DP World Tour title
Hatton's Wentworth win took him within one of Rahm's then-Rolex Series record of four wins and within three months he would match it at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. He arrived in the UAE as one of the planet's most in-form players, having followed his home victory with three PGA TOUR top tens in his next five events and another top ten at the DP World Tour Championship. An opening 64 had him one shot behind Rory McIlroy but a second-round 68 was enough to see the 29-year-old lead by one at halfway stage. McIlroy's Moving Day 67 coupled with a Hatton 71 meant the Northern Irishman led by one heading into Sunday but it was Hatton who would prevail, carding a closing 66 to win by four shots from Australian Jason Scrivener and move up to World Number Five. "It's surreal to be honest," he said. "Even knocking the putt in on 18 doesn't seem like I've won the tournament but it's amazing. I've always loved starting my season here in Abu Dhabi and to now add my name on that trophy with so many great champions before me is a huge honour."
Another perfect start to the campaign this week and Hatton can join Rahm in the Rolex Series five-star club.
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