ROUGH RYDE FOR HATTON

Tyrrell blows four-shot lead as Bjerregaard is inspired to victory by Team Europe’s heroics

TYRRELL HATTON saw his Dunhill hopes get blown away as winner Lucas Bjerregaard revealed he was inspired to victory by the Ryder Cup.

Hatton starred for Europe

against the USA in

Paris last week but was unable to hold on yesterday in the blustery conditions at St Andrews.

At the halfway stage of yesterday’s final round Bjerregaard looked destined to play little more than a fringe role, with Hatton opening a massive five-shot lead on the rest of the field.

But the Englishman stumbled on the back nine, twice suffering back-toback bogeys on his way home, while Denmark’s Bjerregaard motored on to post a superb 67 and claim victory by one shot.

Hatton, who contributed one point to Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph, was left to curse his late slump on the blustery back nine.

He groaned: “It started off well and I was scoring pretty well considering conditions were quite tough. Then my momentum completely went after the tee shot on 10. Unfortunately it didn’t quite happen for me on the back nine and I guess my putt on the last to get in the play-off sums it up.

“A massive gust of wind just knocked me off. Losing your balance on a putt is pretty unfortunate. I’m disappointed because I had a five-shot lead at one point. It was in my hands.”

While Bjerregaard, whose winning total was 15 under par, pocketed a cheque for £610,000, Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood were left to curse missed opportunities to follow up their Ryder

Cup heroics with more glory.

Bjerregaard, 27, revealed the part the Ryder

Cup played in his success, having been invited to Le Golf National by European skipper Bjorn to cheer on the team – and fellow Dane Thorbjorn Olesen.

Bjerregaard (right) said: “I’d never been to a Ryder Cup before but Thomas invited me down on the Saturday so I went.

“He showed me around in what was a busy week for him and I saw the team room and the locker room and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t inspired by everything I saw.

“I was delighted for Thomas and being around it was amazing to see.

“I was so delighted for him when Europe won and I was definitely inspired. I want to make that team one day.

“I’m sure there are a few messages from him on my phone. When I won in Portugal (last year’s Portugal Masters) Thomas was the first one to call me, and I’m sure all the boys have left me nice messages.”