Hatton's first European Tour win - four-shot victor in Dunhill Links Championship 

                                                    Picture by courtesy of Getty Images (c)

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Tyrrell Hatton sealed his maiden European Tour title today, worth 711,673 euros, firing seven birdies and a solitary bogey to claim a four-shot victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The Englishman produced a stunning third-round 62 to equal the course record at St Andrews on Saturday, setting up with a healthy three shot lead, before posting an impressive final round 66 at the Old Course to finish on 23 under par.

Fellow countryman Ross Fisher and South Africa's Richard Sterne finished in a tie for second on 19 under, with Swede Joakim Lagergren two strokes back, one shot ahead of Scot Marc Warren on 16 under.
Warren earned 180,897 euros

Hatton got off to a strong start in the final round, the 24 year old rolling in his birdie putt from six feet at the third before draining a 25-foot putt at the next to pick up another shot. He dropped one shot for the day at the 17th, but was able to steady and coolly sink his par putt at the last to seal victory.

Master’s champion Danny Willett and his caddie Jonathan Smart won the Team Championship at 38 under-par 250, one stroke better than runners-up Adrian Meronk and Johan Eliasc
Marc Warren and Martin Gilbert tied for ninth place on 31-under-par 257 with Joakim Lagergren and Aboyne teenager Shannon McWilliam

Player quotes:

Tyrrell Hatton: “It feels amazing. I've wanted this moment since I was a six-year-old walking around Wentworth. It's incredible.”

“I was quite nervous for the majority of the round but I played really solidly today and holed some good putts, and that kept the momentum going. That was key to winning this week.

“It makes it special and to do it at the Home of Golf is fantastic. Hopefully I can have a good end to the year now.”

“One of my goals was to get inside the Top-50 in the world. I think I was 53rd coming into this week, and I look forward to hearing from my manager John. He sends me a message every Monday morning when the World Rankings come out of what position I am. So I look forward to that text tomorrow, and hopefully I can have a great end to the year and try and climb even higher.”

Ross Fisher: “It was always going to be tough. Starting the day three behind I think I was, I needed to put pressure on Tyrrell but unfortunately my game is just not quite as solid as the first three days. Obviously a pleasure to witness a good friend's first victory and what a place to do it.

“It's been two really good weeks consecutively, so a lot of momentum, a lot of positives, and yeah, just taking it one tournament at a time.”

Richard Sterne: I tried my best to put some pressure on Tyrrell but he got off to a good start and kept it going, which is good. It's a big win and it's going to be a special win for him here at the Old Course.

“I was quite relaxed. I putted really nicely and that was the difference. The last few weeks, I really putted decently and made the par saves at the right time and a couple good birdie putts. I was hitting the ball nicely and consistent, which obviously helps to give me more birdie putts.”

Danny Willett: “It's been great fun. You don't see it from that perspective a lot, especially John, he's a lot more from the other side and to be under pressure and him to be able to hole a putt, it's a complete different role. I'm glad we've had the week we've had. It's been brilliant.”

To view the team totals

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FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72) prize money in euros

265 T Hatton (Eng) 67 70 62 66 (711,673)

269 R Sterne  (RSA) 69 69 65 66, R Fisher (Eng) 65 68 69 67 (370,562 each)

271 J Lagergren (Swe) 66 68 69 68 (213,321)

272 M Warren (Sco) 72 66 67 67 (180,897)

273 M Kaymer (Ger) 71 68 65 69

275 R Paratore (Ita) 71 70 66 68, S Kjeldsen (Den) 71 68 67 69, F Fritsch  (Ger) 68 71 65 71, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 73 66 69 67

276 D Horsey (Eng) 72 69 66 69, A Noren  (Swe) 64 71 73 68, L Jensen (Den) 71 69 66 70, B Dredge (Wal) 69 72 68 67

277 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 72 67 70 68, J Kruger (RSA) 68 68 75 66, G McDowell  (Nir) 74 67 67 69

278 M Ilonen  (Fin) 73 71 67 67, R Wattel  (Fra) 78 66 68 66, R Bland (Eng) 70 69 70 69, G Havret  (Fra) 76 67 70 65, N Fasth (Swe) 72 69 68 69, S Lowry  (Irl) 72 68 72 66, J Zunic (Aus) 70 71 67 70,

279 G Storm  (Eng) 71 72 69 67, G Coetzee (RSA) 72 69 69 69, C Lee (Sco) 69 73 69 68, P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 73 66 69, P Dunne (Irl) 72 72 66 69, J Ahlers (RSA) 70 71 69 69 (41,171 euros each)

280 A Wall (Eng) 71 69 70 70, T Van Der Walt (RSA) 74 70 67 69, N Colsaerts  (Bel) 71 70 70 69, F Zanotti (Par) 72 70 71 67, R Rock (Eng) 70 73 68 69, R Cabrera Bello (Esp) 70 70 68 72, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 73 66 74 67

281 J Morrison  (Eng) 71 74 67 69, S Gallacher (Sco) 70 75 68 68, C Shinkwin (Eng) 67 74 69 71 (28,585 each)

282 A Cañizares  (Esp) 68 72 71 71, R Karlberg  (Swe) 68 71 72 71, G Forrest  (Sco) 73 72 66 71, B Virto  (Esp) 71 69 68 74, G Bourdy (Fra) 69 74 70 69, P Hanson (Swe) 71 69 71 71 (24,745 each)

283 D Drysdale (Sco) 72 72 68 71, B Evans  (Eng) 72 70 71 70, A Dodt (Aus) 70 70 70 73 (20,905 each)

284 J Quesne  (Fra) 72 69 69 74, T Pieters  (Bel) 70 68 73 73, T Olesen (Den) 73 72 68 71

285 R Dinwiddie  (Eng) 73 68 70 74, Y Yang (SKor) 71 69 73 72, M Guyatt (Aus) 69 74 69 73, R Karlsson (Swe) 71 71 69 74, R West (RSA) 69 73 71 72, L Oosthuizen  (RSA) 71 71 68 75

287 E Van Rooyen (RSA) 72 69 72 74

289 U Van Den Berg  (RSA) 69 69 74 77, M Ford (Eng) 66 72 74 77,

291 M Siem  (Ger) 77 68 67 79