Tour produces thrilling finish in Dubai

Down the final stretch, it was an epic battle in Dubai between two young Englishmen playing in the last event of the 2015-2016 season of the European Tour.  Young Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton took centre stage at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in the richly-rewarded Final Series tournament in the Race to Dubai (17-20 November).  On a most thrilling Sunday of golf, it was Fitzpatrick who claimed the DP World Tour Championship title, knocking-in a three-footer for birdie on the closing hole, to win by one shot.  Hatton was a whisker away from victory.  That’s golf!  Full story here.

 

Nice to know…

 

Pipped at the post: England´s Tyrrell Hatton finished in second place, one shot behind the winner Matthew Fitzpatrick, on 272 (71-66-67-68). That one shot too many cost him more than €400,000 in prizemoney!

 

Costly bogey: Hatton was the only player in the top-20 to drop a shot on the 620-yard long, par 5, 18th hole on Sunday. The other players carded between them 12 birdies, 7 pars and an eagle.  What the Englishman would have given for any one of their scores!  

 

Last but not least: Another player from England came in as last man in the elite field of 60.  Even so, Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston was rewarded €21,361 for his efforts.

 

Great Dane Soren Kjeldsen eagled the final hole on Sunday to soar up the leader-board and snatch a share of fourth place with Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL), Francesco Molinari (IT) and Austria´s Bernd Wiesberger.

 

Horseshoe for Colsaerts: Spare a thought for the Belgian whose putt for eagle at the final hole horseshoed out.  A four-way share of fourth spot on -13, instead of tied third with Charl Schwartzel, made a big dent in his prizemoney.  We’re probably talking of nearly €200,000!

 

Holland’s glory: Joost Luiten finished-off his season in style with a birdie at the last hole in Dubai to get himself into a share of 13th place along with Lee Westwood, David Horsey and Byeong Hun An on 11-under par which was good for €114,452 – each!

 

Matt’s stats:  Matthew Fitzpatrick is just 22 years old, stands 5 feet 9 inches tall (175 cm) and weighs-in at a mere 10 stone 3 lbs (65 kilos).

 

 

Wendy Hoad

 

 

READ THE FULL STORY …

‘Fitzpatrick steals the show from Hatton’

 

PICTURED:  Tyrrell Hatton reflects on what might have been in Dubai … but can also look back on the best season of his career, so far.