Tyrrell Hatton held his nerve on Sunday to see off New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier and win his first Rolex Series event since 2021. The Englishman’s victory at the 36th Hero Dubai Desert Classic is his eighth DP World Tour title and he now boasts of five Rolex Series titles, level with Jon Rahm for the most wins in this prestigious tournament.
“To add my name to the list of the amazing champions that have been before me, and yeah, to have my name on that trophy now, yeah, it’s a dream come true,” Hatton said after he secured victory at the Rolex Series event. “This is a big step in the right direction. I’m happy with that, and looking forward to the rest of the year.”
Hatton Cements Himself Amongst Top Performers
While the victory further cemented his position as one of golf’s current top performers, question marks remains over his ability to win a major tournament and get at or near the top of golf’s top moneymakers list. Hatton’s trophy haul also includes the 2017 Italian Open, 2019 Turkish Airlines Open, 2020 BMW PGA Championship, and the 2021 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. As a seasoned performer, he has also won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship three times.
There are little or no doubts about Hatton’s credentials, however, he himself recognizes that there will always be questions about his greatness if he doesn’t win any major championships. The PGA Championship, The Masters Tournament, The Open Championship, and The US Open are the top tournaments that truly cements a golfer’s legendary status-much like the World Cup, Euros, and Copa America defines a players greatness in the world of football.
Chasing Majors
With his latest victory, the 33-year old would be occupied with taking the next step in his rising career and emulate legends like Jack Nicklaus with 18 major titles, Tiger Woods with 15, and Rory McIlroy with 4. Hatton himself understands the challenges and difficulty that comes with facing the best golfers in these tournaments that presents significant hurdles compared to standard tour events.
Hatton has had 38 Majors starts and missed the cut on 14 occasions. The Englishman is still waiting for his first success on golf’s biggest stage with his best finish at tied fifth-place finish at the 2016 Open Championship almost a decade ago.
“Majors Haven’t Fallen on The Right Week For Hatton Yet”
“I don’t treat them any differently in how I feel when I’m playing on a Thursday or Friday and into the weekend,” Hatton was quoted as saying. “It’s just trying your best, you have weeks where you get on a run and you play well for a period, and for some reason, the Majors haven’t fallen on the right week for me yet.”
Looking to Past Championship Winners
Hatton admits that he has been a bit unlucky when it comes to Majors, but how big are his chances of winning a Major this year? Perhaps he can look up to Danny Willett and Sergio Garcia for some inspiration. Willett won the Dallah Trophy in 2016 and three months later, he was celebrating his first Major title at the Masters. Garcia followed his footsteps in 2017. He won at the Majlis Court before clinching the Masters Tournament with victory on the first sudden-death playoff hole against Justin Rose.
“This event and the four Majors this year are massive for me to try and earn as many points as I can to try and be an automatic qualifier (for the Ryder Cup). This is a big step in the right direction. So happy with that, and looking forward to the rest of the year,” said Hatton.
“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous on the back nine,” he said regarding his careful play coming home. “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.”
The win over Daniel Hillier at the Rolex Series event played a key role in helping the Englishman secure world ranking points. Since the beginning of the Ryder Cup qualifying, Hatton has a record of T18-T10-1-2-6-5-1 and is on top of the standings. His next start will be LIV’s February opener at the Riyadh Golf and Mega Yacht Club.
