HATS OFF TO TYRRELL AS HE LANDS FIRST TITLE
TYRRELL HATTON cruised to his first European Tour title with a commanding victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The 24-year-old Englishman added a final-round six-under-par 66 to his course record equalling 62 at St Andrews on Saturday to finish 23 under. His total matched the tournament record set by David Howell and Peter Uihlein three years ago. England’s Ross Fisher and Richard Sterne of South Africa shared second place on 19 under, with Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren two shots further back in fourth and Scotland’s Marc Warren fifth on 16 under. ‘It feels amazing,’ said Hatton, who will climb from 53rd in the world rankings to a new career-high inside the top 35. ‘I’ve wanted this moment since I was a six-year-old walking around Wentworth watching the PGA Championship, so it’s incredible.’ Hatton took a three-shot lead into the final round and was never in danger of being caught after firing a hat-trick of birdies from the third. He tightened his grip on the title and the first prize of £612,000 with further birdies on the ninth, 12th, 14th and 15th. He carded his only bogey of the weekend after finding the Road Hole bunker on the 17th but the former Challenge Tour graduate had done enough to secure a seemingly nerveless win. ‘It didn’t feel that way inside,’ said Hatton. ‘I was pretty nervous all day. I started to feel a little bit more comfortable after 15 and was just so happy I got over the line. ‘I had a new putter in the bag this week and it worked really well. I’m just so happy. It’s the British Masters next and I’m looking forward to that.’ Masters champion Danny Willett, who missed the cut in the tournament proper, won the pro-am event with his caddie Jonathan Smart after Smart birdied their final hole.