He's got balls - Rory McIlroy's verdict on Hero Dubai Desert Classic winner Tyrrell Hatton
Like or loathe him, there can be no denying that Tyrrell Hatton is a bloody fine golfer. Once the Englishman got his nose in front in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, it was almost a foregone conclusion. He’d already landed four Rolex Series title triumphs on the DP World Tour, after all, and this latest one moved him equal with Jon Rahm, his LIV Golf team-mate, with a fifth one.
“Yeah, he’s got balls,” said Rory McIlroy of Hatton after doing his best to try and get within striking distance in the final round on the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club before having to settle for a share of fourth spot in his bid to become the first player in more than 20 years to win the same title three years running on the DP World Tour.
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Hatton landed a record-breaking third victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October before finishing second in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship then sixth in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. He started his 2025 campaign by picking up three-and-a-half points from four in helping Great Britain and Ireland win the Team Cup in Abu Dhabi.
“He's become very consistent,” observed McIlroy after Hatton had signed off with a 69 for a 15-under-par total, celebrating with a cry of “come on” after knocking in a testing five-foot par putt at the last to finish a shot ahead of New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, with another Englishman, Laurie Canter, one further back in third spot in the $9 million event.
“You know, he does things his own way,” added McIlroy of the the fifth Englishman to claim one of golf’s most iconic trophies, joining Mark James (1989), David Howell (1999), Danny Willett (2016) and Paul Casey (2021).
“He plays within his capabilities. He hits the ball very straight. He doesn't try to shape it really one way or another. He has his systems and ways he practices and he does a really good job at that. And he also doesn't give a flying fig what anyone else thinks, which is a really good attribute to have in the game.”
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Hide AdHaving retained his DP World Tour membership by playing in a flurry of events late last season, Hatton is eligible for September’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. It has still to be determined what will happen with an appeal over fines and suspensions imposed on him by the DP World Tour for playing in LIV Golf events without an official release. But, on this evidence, the Europeans would certainly be weakened if Hatton, who has qualified automatically for the last three contests against the Americans, was an absentee for that trophy defence.
“That’s why he’s so important in New York,” said McIlroy, who closed with a 66 that contained seven birdies in his first outing of the year. “Yeah, he'll be amazing in New York. I think he's proved that over the last three Ryder Cups. He's a massive asset for the Europeans.”


One behind Hillier at the start of the day, Hatton opened with a bogey before moving ominously to the top of the leaderboard after picking up birdies at the second, fifth and sixth. Though Hillier did his best to cling on to his coat-tails and Canter squandered a couple of good opportunities to turn up the heat on the leader, it was effectively game over when Hatton stiffed his approach at the par-4 16th.
“Yeah, it feels amazing,” said the 33-year-old of his eighth DP World Tour triumph, which came in his 200th start on the circuit. “I said earlier in the week, this is one of the events that you would like to have on your CV. It's such an iconic event for the DP World Tour. To add my name to the list of the amazing champions that have been before me, and to have my name on that trophy now, it's a dream come true.”
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Hide AdAs well as seeing him break back into the top ten in the world rankings, the win moved Hatton to the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings, though, with the new LIV Golf season starting next month, he won’t play again on the DP World Tour until the Irish Open, by which time the qualifying campaign for the Ryder Cup will have come to a conclusion.
“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,” he said of the battle for such spots. “This is a big step in the right direction. So, happy with that and looking forward to the rest of the year.”
After a disappointing day after being in the final group with Hatton and Hillier, Ewen Ferguson had to settle for 16th spot on seven under following a closing 75. Calum Hill’s 74 saw him finish a shot further back alongside Bob MacIntyre after the world No 14 signed off with a 72.
“Poor,” said MacIntyre of his week’s work. “Yeah, just one of those weeks. Frustrating. I felt I got absolutely nothing out of the week, to be honest. Whenever I got a bit of momentum, I hit it up the face of a bunker. Just a disappointing week.”
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Hide AdThe Oban had made a long journey from Hawaii to tee it up in the UAE but insisted it hadn’t been a case of his tank running low. “Yeah, plenty,” he replied to being asked if he still had some energy at the finish. “I could go another four rounds. Really, really frustrated right now after that, especially the finish (taking a bogey at the driveable par-4 17th then being unable to make a birdie at the last).”
After a bogey-free 67, Connor Syme climbed 40 spots to finish in a tie for 27th. “It was good,” declared Syme of his last-day effort, which came after he’d been disappointed to sign for a 76 alongside McIlroy on Saturday. “A nice way to finish and a good comeback after yesterday, so pretty pleased with that. I think I only missed a couple of greens, which around here is really, really solid.”
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