From smashed tee marker to smashing success, Tyrrell Hatton wins Dubai Desert Classic

One day after coming under scrutiny for smashing a tee marker, England’s Tyrrell Hatton grabbed the lead early and hung on to win the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday by one shot over New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier.

Hatton, who joined LIV Golf last year and is appealing his suspension from the DP World Tour,  won his eighth title on the European-based circuit and equaled Jon Rahm’s mark with his fifth Rolex Series title. Hatton closed with a final-round 3-under 69 at Emirates Golf Club for a 72-hole total of 15-under 273 at the tournament he used to wake up early to watch on television as a kid.

“It feels amazing. I said earlier in the week, this is one of the events that you would like to have on your C.V. It’s such an iconic event for the DP World Tour,” he said. “To have my name on that trophy now, yeah, it’s a dream come true.”

Hatton started the final round one stroke back of Hillier, but took the lead for good at the fifth hole when he made birdie and Hillier made bogey. Hillier double-hit the ball from the rough, which no longer results in a penalty shot but Hatton conceded he wasn’t aware of the rules change.

“I actually thought I had the score wrong. He double hit on the chip shot and thought it was an extra shot and I was told before the 13th, and I went ‘oh I thought I was two clear,’ not one,” he said.

The Englishman doubled his advantage on the sixth with a birdie from nine feet but Hillier made birdies at Nos. 10 and 11 and 18 to push Hatton to the finish. He closed in 71.

“It’s bittersweet, that’s for sure,” Hillier said. “ I didn’t have my best today, obviously, but I fought hard all day.”

Hatton made a bogey at 12 but wedged tight at 16 to stretch his lead back to two. Still, he needed to hole a 5-foot par putt at 18 to secure the win.

“My hands were shaking. I was just praying I hit a good putt,” Hatton said. “I guess I just maybe wanted it a bit too much. I knew the position I was in, and a little bit scruffy down the last. But yeah, to see that putt go in felt amazing. Just so happy to win.”

Defending champion Rory McIlroy charged with five birdies on the final nine for a final-round 6-under 66, three shots better than his next best round in the tournament. He started too far back to make a run at a repeat and settled for fourth, three shots behind Hatton.

“I probably just left myself a bit too much to do after three days. I had chances, and I was burning the edges,” said McIlroy, who finished in the top 10 at Emirates GC for the 12^th straight year. “I think playing a week like this, it sort of gives me a good appreciation for what I need to do the next few weeks.”

Hatton was all smiles after moving back into the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking. A day earlier, the temperamental Englishman was questioned about destroying a plastic tee marker at the par-3 seventh hole.

“Just a bit of frustration,” Hatton told The Observer. “Probably shouldn’t have done it. Does it make me a bad person? No…If that’s the worst thing I do as a human, then, I mean, it’s not that bad.”

Hatton’s victory also should be a reminder to European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald that Hatton may be playing the majority of his golf on LIV, but he’s still one of the best European-born golfers on the planet.

“This week was massive for me,” Hatton said. “I’ve still got the four majors to continue earning points for the Ryder Cup. It’s no secret that I really want to be on that team. I’ve automatically qualified for the previous three Ryder Cups, and I’d love to be able to keep that streak going.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Dubai Desert Classic highlights: Tyrrell Hatton wins 5th Rolex Series