Sky Sports Channel Logo

Golf News

News

  • News
  • Leaderboard
  • Features
  • Competitions
  • Schedule
  • Rankings
  • Video
  • Pundits
  • On Sky
  • Sky Bet

Tyrrell Hatton cruises to four-shot win in Abu Dhabi as Rory McIlroy falters after bright start

Rory McIlroy still searching for a first Rolex Series title after Tyrrell Hatton claims his fourth after a composed closing 66 propels the Englishman to a dominant victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship; Hatton now projected to move ahead of McIlroy to claim British No 1 status

By Keith Jackson

Last Updated: 24/01/21 6:31pm

The highs and lows of the final day in Abu Dhabi, where Tyrrell Hatton produced another world-class performance to claim a four-shot victory as Rory McIlroy faltered.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Sky Sports

The highs and lows of the final day in Abu Dhabi, where Tyrrell Hatton produced another world-class performance to claim a four-shot victory as Rory McIlroy faltered.
The highs and lows of the final day in Abu Dhabi, where Tyrrell Hatton produced another world-class performance to claim a four-shot victory as Rory McIlroy faltered.

Tyrrell Hatton produced another commanding performance on the final day as he outplayed Rory McIlroy to claim a four-shot victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

McIlroy led by one overnight and got off to a strong start in his bid for a maiden Rolex Series title, but mistakes began to creep in as Hatton piled on the pressure with three birdies in four holes around the turn.

Another birdie at 13 took the Englishman four clear, and neither McIlroy or Tommy Fleetwood were able to find a way back over the closing stages as Hatton's composed 66 swept him to a winning score of 18 under par, with Jason Scrivener storming into second and the biggest pay day of his career after a back-nine 29.

Final leaderboard

Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

The result was also significant in the world rankings, with Hatton now projected to move ahead of McIlroy to claim British No 1 status, and the 29-year-old could be as high as fifth in the world when the rankings are updated on Monday, depending on where Patrick Cantlay finishes at The American Express.

McIlroy, four times a runner-up in Abu Dhabi, looked in the mood to break his duck in the event when he matched Hatton's birdie at the second and added another at the third to go two strokes clear.

But Hatton pulled one back at the seventh, and McIlroy then made a mess of the long eighth as he pulled his drive into trouble, dumped his third into the bunker short-right of the green, barely escaped the trap and missed the target with his chip as he ran up a scrappy bogey-six.

Rory McIlroy failed to build on a bright start
Rory McIlroy failed to build on a bright start

Hatton holed a good putt for birdie at the ninth and then nailed another from outside 30 feet to maintain his two-shot advantage at the long 10th, a lead which extended to three when McIlroy erred again at the 11th.

A delightful approach to the 13th set up Hatton's fifth birdie of a dominant day at the 13th, and he found another at 16 as McIlroy bogeyed again to fall six behind with Scrivener racing into the clubhouse lead thanks to his sensational finish.

Hatton, also a runaway winner of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in October, safely parred the final two holes to wrap up his sixth European Tour victory that took him alongside Jon Rahm on four Rolex Series titles.

Hatton's composed performance earned him a fourth Rolex Series title
Hatton's composed performance earned him a fourth Rolex Series title

A forlorn McIlroy, without a win since the WGC-HSBC Champions in November, 2019, two-putted from 45 feet for birdie at the last which salvaged a level-par 72, recording his eighth top-three finish in Abu Dhabi.

Also See:

  • Final leaderboard
  • Watch online
  • Golf live on Sky Sports
  • Free HD Golf Game

Scrivener took himself out of contention with three bogeys in five holes on the front nine, although he significantly improved his rankings and his bank balance with a remarkable back-nine charge, starting with an eagle at the 10th before adding five birdies to return a 66.

The Australian won the race for outright second ahead of McIlroy and Rafa Cabrera Bello, who birdied the last for a 69 to finish on 12 under, while Fleetwood plummeted down the leaderboard after following a bogey at 16 with a double-bogey six at the 17th.

Trending

  • 1
    Transfer Centre LIVE! Man Utd won't break bank on £70m De Jong deal
  • 2
    Papers: Man City emerge as contenders to sign Phillips
  • 3
    Gerrard on constructing new culture and plans for Villa's future
  • 4
    GvB: Tough to lift players for cup | Ramsey took responsibility
  • 5
    F1 driver ratings: Who's made best start and who's struggled?
  • 6
    America's heavyweight hope - what happened?
  • 7
    Rangers player ratings: Bassey brilliant in defeat
  • 8
    PL state of play: Title race, CL, Europe & relegation permutations
  • 9
    England's summer Test XI: What will it look like?
  • 10
    Vieira will 'speak to' Kouyate if he has backed Gueye on rainbow symbol stance
  • Video
  • Latest News
  • Home
  • Sports
    • Football
    • F1
    • Cricket
    • Rugby Union
    • Rugby League
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • NFL
    • Tennis
    • Racing
    • Darts
    • NBA
    • Netball
    • GAA
    • MMA
    • More Sports
  • Scores
  • Video
  • TV
  • Sky Bet
  • Games
  • More
    • Transfer Centre
    • Live on Sky
    • Get Sky Sports
    • TV Shows
    • TV Guide
    • Sky Go
    • Now TV
    • Kick It Out
    • Black Lives Matter
    • Sky Zero
    • Podcasts
    • Mobile
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Contact Us
    • Work @ Sky Sports
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Sky Sports
    • Get Sky Sports
    • Sky Sports Apps
    • Sportinglife.com
    • TEAMtalk.com
    • Football365.com
  • Partners
    • Sky Bet
    • Fantasy Football
    • Super 6
    • Planet Rugby
    • Golf365
    • Planet F1
    • Cricket365
  • Sky Sports Channels
    • Sky Sports Main Event
    • Sky Sports Premier League
    • Sky Sports Football
    • Sky Sports Cricket
    • Sky Sports Golf
    • Sky Sports Racing
    • Sky Sports F1
    • Sky Sports Action
    • Sky Sports Arena
    • Sky Sports News
    • Sky Sports Mix
  • More Sky Sites
    • Sky.com
    • Sky News
    • Sky Group
    • Sky For Businesses
    • Work @ Sky Sports
    • NOW TV
    • Sky Communal TV
    • Bigger Picture
    • Store Locator
    • Advertise With Us
    • Sky TV Accessories
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy & Cookies Notice
  • Privacy Options
  • Accessibility Information
  • Contact Us

Sky Sports Channel Logo ©2022 Sky UK