Tyrrell Hatton carded a final round of 70 to defeat Nicolas Colsaerts by a shot and claim a record third Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title at St Andrews on Sunday.
The LIV golfer - who also won back in 2016 and 2017 - once again triumphed in Scotland, this time on 24-under, to go out in front as the most successful man at the event, one day on from a joint-record 61 at the Old Course which helped him to a one-shot lead overnight.
It was almost not meant to be, though, after Hatton allowed a three-stroke lead to slip down the back nine. But, Hatton recovered the situation perfectly via a clutch birdie putt on the 18th as Colsaerts could only make par to end solo second ahead of Tommy Fleetwood.
The 32-year-old revealed post-round that it was the first time he had won at the Old Course with his father Jeff watching in person, an achievement that meant a great deal.
Reflecting on his success immediately after the winning putt dropped, an emotional Hatton said: "Yeah, it feels good. This is the first time I've actually won the tournament with my dad here. So it means a lot. And yeah, to do it on the Home of Golf is really special. Hard to describe to be honest. I'm trying not to cry to be honest. I'm at a loss for words."
In the team event, Thorbjorn Olesen and Dermont Desmond ensured it would not be double delight for Hatton, however, as they scored victory by two strokes on 48-under from the Englishman and his father.
Although, at one point, it appeared as though Hatton Jr would have little or nothing to smile about at all when going double-bogey, bogey on the 13th and 14th holes, respectively.
Yet, quite remarkably, Hatton claimed he was unaware of the scores for the majority of the back nine - suggesting he felt his chances had already gone up in smoke before reaching the 18th hole level with Colsaerts.
He continued: "To be honest, I didn't actually know what the scores were from when we left the halfway house. The first leaderboard I saw was on the 17th green.
"When I double bogeyed 13 and bogeyed 14, I didn't realise I was still in and around the lead and just tried my best on every shot coming in. And then I see where I'm at at the 17th green. Then, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.
"To have a three-and-a-half-foot putt is quite nerve-wracking, and I was so relieved when it went in."
It took all of Hatton's ability to hold off a resurgent Colsaerts - the 41-year-old, who was his vice-captain at the most recent Ryder Cup in Italy - but he eventually did so to earn vital qualifying points as the race to reach Bethpage continues.
As a result of Hatton's latest victory, the seventh on the DP World Tour and 12th of his pro career, it has qualified the 32-year-old for the DP World Tour playoffs in November and two further chances to earn Ryder Cup and world-ranking points. Meanwhile, victory at the Dunhill also means he can now attend the wedding of one of his Ryder Cup teammates.
Hatton explained: "I'm so happy that I've got my place booked in Dubai. When I teed off last week at the Spanish Open, I knew that I needed probably at least a second on my own to have a chance.
"Actually, I was meant to be going to [Matt Fitzpatrick's] wedding the week in Spain [Andalucia Masters]. I messaged him a few weeks ago and I was like, 'if I don't have enough points, I might not be able to go', and I felt so bad about that. I guess [I had] a little extra motivation to play well."
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Leaderboard
-24 Tyrrell Hatton
-23 Nicolas Colsaerts
-21 Tommy Fleetwood
-19 David Puig
-19 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
-19 Robin Williams
-18 Haotong Li
-18 Jon Rahm
-18 Tom Vaillant
-17 Brooks Koepka
-17 Matthew Jordan
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SEVEN HOLES TO PLAY
Hatton's closest challenger Colsaerts slightly pulls a birdie putt from 10 feet on the 11th green, and that's given the leader a very good chance to extend his lead out to three. In the team event, Tyrrell's father Jeff goes first from a similar range but fails to see it drop. His son, however, drains it right in the middle. He's recorded consecutive birdies and is out to 26-under.
Meanwhile, the weather in Scotland has turned pretty ugly. It's raining steadily and the wind is blowing at about 20mph. This might not be over...
TOUGH CONDITIONS
The 12th hole is only 348 yards - I say 'only' in the context that they're pros - but it is playing into the wind. As a result, the drives of the two leaders did not find the fairway on No.12. Colsaerts' tee shot was the better of the two at 249 yards, though, as the Belgian's ball only just missed the shortest cut. Hatton's is well away from the centre...
POWERS OF RECOVERY
The powers of recovery from the leading pair are sublime. Hatton finds the putting surface from a pretty rough lie in the... rough, and it's not that far away either. Meanwhile, Colsaerts only has 99 yards to go and makes the most of it by flicking a wedge into three or four feet. That was class from the Belgian.
As Hatton comes up short with his long-range birdie putt, ultimately tapping in for par, Colsaerts has the chance to cut the lead down to two. But he can't take it! Hatton remains three ahead with six holes to play.
HATTON OPENS THE DOOR
The LIV golfer might have opened the door to his rivals here. Hatton's drive finds a coffin bunker and he's forced to just chop out. His third shot somehow escapes a greenside bunker, but the ball has come to rest on a slight downslope on the short side with that bunker staring him in the face. This will be tough.
In response, Colsaerts has a long-range par chance from the middle of the green. The difference is currently three, but it might be about to drop to one...
HATTON DOUBLE BOGEY
If you looked at Hatton after every shot, you'd think he's constantly hitting it horribly. It's no different with the fourth from that tricky situation I just described, but a quick glance at the ball's final position shows it has stopped just a few feet out. Excellent from Hatton.
But oh dear! Hatton has pushed his bogey putt wide and he's walking off with a double-bogey on his card.
Colsaerts isn't able to find a long-range par, but the gap has reduced to two nonetheless. Will we have that drama after all?
LEADER IS TICKING
On the par-5 14th, Hatton has once again found a fairway bunker and is required to flick out ahead of his third. He won't be able to reach with this approach, given it's into the wind, so he's looking at saving par. Opting for driver off the deck, he shoves it left again and is getting visibly emotional.
Colsaerts drags his second shot and has 221 yards in for his third. He takes a 3-iron but comes up just short and right. Not the worst place to be, given the circumstances. It's worth reiterating that the back nine is straight back into the wind, so it's playing brutally tough.
FRUSTRATION ALL AROUND
Hatton reaches the green with his fourth shot, but he is still frustrated. Over on the 15th green, Fleetwood (in a tie for third) watches a mid-range birdie chance just drift by. Fleetwood, normally an extremely placid character, also shows some emotion by waving his putter in a pushing motion - indicating he felt the stroke wasn't as pure as it could have been. He remains in with an outside chance, though, especially if Hatton implodes here...
CONSECUTIVE BOGEYS
It's another bogey for Hatton on the 14th. In truth, that wasn't the worst bogey given he had gone cross country to get there. But he's now gone 6-6 on 13 and 14. His playing partner Colsaerts pours it in for par, and now the lead is only one! I told you this wasn't over!
DESMOND DOES ENOUGH
In the team event, Dermot Desmond has made an unbelievable two-putt from off the green at the 17th to extend his and Thorbjorn Olesen's lead to three shots. In theory, that should be a done deal now with the straightforward 18th to go...
FLEETWOOD'S CHALLENGE FADING
Fleetwood fails to birdie 16 and must go par-birdie, you would have thought, to challenge Hatton. He's at five-under today and has looked really good, but a couple of pushed putts are costing him.
CO-LEADER COLSAERTS
Moments after Hatton watches his birdie putt slam the breaks on a matter of inches out on 15, Colsaerts drives a putt home to tie him on 23-under with three holes to play. Not that long ago, the lead was three...
All tied at the top 🙌@NicoColsaerts birdies the 15th to join Hatton at -23. #dunhilllinks pic.twitter.com/vtAU3GeDisOctober 6, 2024
WASTED CHANCES
Hatton rolls a nice putt towards the hole from the back of the 16th green, but it just tails off two-thirds of the way down and he'll have to make do with a par.
Not that long ago, Colsaerts was three back of Tyrrell Hatton. His approach shot into the 16th means he now has a strong chance to take the lead. The 41-year-old sent a beautiful shot over the front hump and his ball is now some 10 to 12 feet below the hole.
The eventual effort wasn't brilliant from Colsaerts. He walks off with a par as well.
FLEETWOOD MAGIC
Goodness me, Tommy Fleetwood! The Englishman was front left of the 17th green with the flag in its usual Sunday location (back portion in the centre) and a hump to navigate. He opted for a cute little chip with some spin, and the ball stopped agonizingly short of dropping. Par achieved. Onto 18.
NERVOUS WAIT ON 17
The final pair are waiting on 17 for a little while longer than they'd ideally like. As they do so, Hatton swishes his driver back and forth while Colsaerts heartily puffs on a vape. He looks like a human train, with the wind blowing white smoke back past him. Quite the sight!
LEADERS EVENTUALLY AWAY
Hatton and Colsaerts are finally away on 17. The Belgian went first and bailed out left, but he's absolutely fine in the rough and can still reach the green. Meanwhile, Hatton plays with fire but finds the fairway just in front of the hotel. He's got a beautiful angle into the green (just don't pull or push it too badly!)
FLAT FINISH FOR FLEETWOOD
Fleetwood is painfully short with his short chip towards the flag on 18, but it rolls back down into the hollow and that's his chances over. He putts up the hill and tidies up for par, likely seeing him end in solo third. Overall, it's still a really good week for Fleetwood.
ADVANTAGE HATTON
With 222 yards remaining, Hatton booms a wood high into the air and it settles down just off the left edge of the green. He'll have a chance for birdie after that excellent strike.
His playing partner, Colsaerts - with 219 remaining - sends a long iron short and right of the green, where he'll try to get up and down. That's either a monster putt or a delicate little wedge shot for Colsaerts...
DOWN 18 ALL SQUARE
Wedge play isn't Colsaerts' strength, but he's played a delightful skip-and-stop shot to eight feet. Hatton tries to respond but can't make his birdie putt drop.
Colsaerts certainly has the tougher par save, but the big Belgian stands tall to roll a right-to-left putt home. That was clutch.
We go down 18 all square!
PAIR OF PERFECT DRIVES
Both send monster drives down 18, but it is slight advantage Colsaerts as the former Ryder Cup vice-captain is closer to the Valley of Sin. He can certainly putt with plenty of feel, whereas Hatton will need to rock the shoulders a bit further. Mind you, there's maybe 5-10 yards in it, so it's really not a lot.
STRAIGHT MATCH PLAY
Hatton chooses a bump-and-run chip through the Valley of Sin, which was certainly risky, but he's done brilliantly to leave it four feet out at most.
Colsaerts opts to putt up the steep slope in front, but he's under-hit it. The 41-year-old will need to make the birdie of his week to send this to a playoff, you feel...
TYRRELL HATTON WINS ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP
Colsaerts goes first and watches his birdie attempt dribble agonizingly wide of the hole on the left side. A brutal end for the Belgian, who has been excellent all week.
But it's Tyrrell Hatton who is a three-time winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after draining his birdie putt from inside four feet!
Up and down for victory 💪@TyrrellHatton is the Alfred Dunhill Links Champion for a record third time! #dunhilllinks pic.twitter.com/RHNfnuvj4yOctober 6, 2024
