Double-up Hatton banks £1.4m in just one week!
THE leafy confines of Golf Club Milano offer a stark contrast to the bare magnificence of the Old Course at St Andrews, yet the storyline in Italy yesterday bore remarkable similarities to the one played out in Scotland a week earlier. Once more, Ross Fisher turned in a brilliant final round and once more he was thwarted by fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, who completed the rare feat of back-to-back victories, following up his triumph at the Dunhill Links by claiming the Italian Open. With the tournament upgraded to a Rolex Series event and offering a mammoth first prize of more than £915,000, it takes the 26-yearold’s earnings over the past week to £1.4million, and puts him in contention for the Race to Dubai, with just five events remaining. Long-time leader Tommy Fleetwood had a good day himself with a 67 to finish tied sixth and extend his lead over second-placed Sergio Garcia. But, with the last four events all offering similarly huge first prizes and Hatton in the form of his life, the Southport man knows this race is not yet run. Hatton had looked out of it heading into the last seven
holes. He was struggling to make any birdies and that volcanic temperament was in danger of erupting. As he would admit later: ‘I was fighting a huge battle with myself.’ Five players were ahead of him at that stage but everything started to change when he holed a long putt at the 12th for only his second birdie of the day. Another followed at the 13th and then he picked up the stroke on offer at the parfive 14th. At the 15th came that smidgen of fortune every winner needs. It looked as if his birdie putt would stay on the edge, but after a twosecond deliberation, it fell below ground. It made all the difference. Fisher missed a presentable birdie opportunity at the 18th by a hair’s width. Talented Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat posted the same 264 total as Fisher. Hatton stood on the 18th tee
needing a par for a three-man play-off but he doesn’t think like that. His approach finished 15 feet away and he made no mistake with the birdie putt. He had played the back nine in just 30 shots for a 65 and 263, 21-under-par, total. ‘I’m a little overwhelmed right now,’ said Hatton, from High Wycombe, who moves up to 17th in the world rankings. ‘My caddie (Jonathan Bell) told me it would happen for me if I stayed patient but I can’t believe I’ve won again. It was amazing to see that last putt drop. My hands were shaking, my knees were shaking but they’re the feelings you want to have. Now I just want to soak it all in.’ Third-round leader Matt Wallace, who struggled on the
greens,greens holed an amazing c chip of his own at the 17th to finish fourth. With David Horsey carding a 64 to finish alongside Fleetwood, it meant there were five Englishmen in the first nine. As for Fisher, there’s certainly no need for any feelings of self-recrimination. Not after following a course-record 61 in the final round at St Andrews with this 63. But he could be forgiven for hoping that, at his next event, Hatton decides it’s time for a week off.