Tyrrell Hatton holds nerve to land record third Dunhill Links title at St Andrews

An emotional Tyrrell Hatton sealed an outright record third victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the famed Old Course at St Andrews.

Hatton, 32, played a delightful chip shot to four feet on the iconic par-4 18th to seal a narrow one-shot triumph over playing partner Nicolas Colsaerts.

The fiery Englishman already held the joint record for multiple Dunhill Links titles (2016, 2017) with Padraig Harrington heading into the week.

But he now holds the outright record at the Home of Golf all on his own.

Hatton carded a final-round 70 to post a joint-record tournament score of 24-under par.

He also achieved that in 2017. 

Speaking to Sky's Tim Barter after holing the winning putt, an emotional Hatton reflected on his Dunhill Links hat-trick and winning for the first time alongside his father, Jeff. 

"It feels good, it's the first time I've won with my Dad here. It means a lot, to do it at the Home of Golf is so special," said Hatton, who is now a seven-time winner on the DP World Tour. 

"I'm trying not to cry, just lost for words."

Hatton won a first prize of $850,000.

LIV Golf star Hatton was recently let back onto the DP World Tour after having appealed his hefty fine for joining the Saudi-backed circuit earlier this season.

The tournament also marked Hatton's four regular season event on the DP World Tour to lock up his membership on the circuit for 2025 and to ensure he is eligible to make Luke Donald's 2025 European Ryder Cup team. 

Hatton and his father Jeff finished second in the team event on 46-under par. 

They finished two shots behind victors Thorbjorn Olesen and Dermont Desmond.

Hatton's individual victory now vaults him to 20th in the Official World Golf Rankings and to 16th in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

The latter ensures Hatton will be able to participate in the DP World Tour Playoffs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai next month.

It also now means he won't have to tee it up in the Andalucia Masters in two weeks' time and can attend Matt Fitzpatrick's wedding as planned.

"So happy got my place booked for Dubai," said a relieved Hatton. 

" I was meant to be going to Fitzy's wedding the week of Spain, and I had to message him a few weeks ago to say if I don't earn enough points this month then I might not be able to come. I felt so bad about that, so I think having a little extra motivation was there to play well and be able to be there for their special day."

Hatton surged into a commanding three-shot lead with a birdie at the par-3 11th, but he let Colsaerts back in with a double at 13 and bogey at 14.

Colsaerts, 41, also bogeyed the 13th but he would soon draw alongside Hatton with a clutch birdie at the 15th. 

The big-hitting Belgian holed another clutch eight-footer at the 17th for par to keep himself in the mix heading down the 18th.

But after driving just short of the green, Colsaerts came up shy with his eagle putt and he could not convert the 10-footer for birdie from under the hole.

The stage was then left for Hatton to send his four-footer for birdie down and seal a record third Dunhill Links title.

Colsaerts, who has not won for nearly five years, received an invite into the Dunhill Links by tournament host Johann Rupert.

That was because he did not have an exemption into the iconic DP World Tour event. 

But his solo second now likely ensures he will have eligibility on the DP World Tour for 2025. 

"Pretty proud of my efforts this week," said three-time DP World Tour winner Colsaerts.

"To put some good rounds together, get all the way to the end and be in position I've not been for a while was good.

"But it's bittersweet to come so close. 

"I guess people will look at the last, I think I could have maybe done a bit better in the middle of the round."

England's Tommy Fleetwood continued his recent good form but once again struggled to hole the birdie putts when they mattered.

The Englishman finished three shots behind Hatton in solo third. 

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