Ryder Cup 2018: Tyrrell Hatton leads European qualification race
Monday 16 October 2017 14:13, UK
Tyrrell Hatton has extended his lead in the Ryder Cup qualification rankings after back-to-back European Tour wins.
Hatton followed last week's title defence at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with a one-shot victory at the Italian Open, giving him more than a 900,000 point cushion over Ross Fisher in the European Points List.
Fisher finished runner-up to Hatton for the second week running at Golf Club Milano, but moves up to second in the standings ahead of British Masters winner Paul Dunne and Omega European Masters champion Matt Fitzpatrick.
A third career European Tour title also sees Hatton leapfrog Justin Rose at the top of the World Points List, who hasn't made a worldwide appearance since last month's Tour Championship.
World No 5 Jon Rahm, Portugal Open winner Lucas Bjerregaard and Scotland's Marc Warren, who all played in Italy this week, complete the players currently in the automatic qualification places on the World Points List.
The European team will be made up of four players from the European Points List and four from from the Worlds Points List, with Thomas Bjorn having four captain's picks.
The Ryder Cup qualification period runs from August's Czech Masters until next year's Made In Denmark, with the 2018 Ryder Cup being held at Le Golf National from September 28-30.
