Hatton continues offseason hot streak with one-stroke win at Dubai Desert Classic
Legion XIII star Tyrrell Hatton will enter the 2025 LIV Golf League season on a serious hot streak thanks to a fabulous offseason that continued Sunday with a record-tying win at the Dubai Desert Classic.
Hatton shot a final-round 3-under 69 to rally past 54-hole leader Daniel Hillier and win by one stroke at Emirates Golf Club. For the 33-year-old Englishman, it’s his fifth Rolex Series victory on the DP World Tour, equaling the record set by his Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm.
“It feels amazing,” said Hatton, who finished the four-round tournament at 15 under. “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.”
Hatton has now won two of his six starts since the completion of the 2024 LIV Golf season, his first in the league. In early October, Hatton won the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and followed that with a solo second a few weeks later at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
In addition to his two wins and the runner-up finish, Hatton has three other top-10 finishes since October. This comes off the heels of an impressive first season in LIV Golf, in which he won LIV Golf Nashville and finished fourth in the season-long Individual Championship standings, the highest placement by any non-captain.
His last 13 starts across all global competitions include three wins, two seconds, three other top-5s, two other top-10s and two other top-25s. He also posted a 3-0-1 record for Great Britain & Ireland during their Team Cup win earlier this month.
On Sunday, Hatton started the final round one shot back but took the lead by the fifth hole and never relinquished it. A wedge shot at the 16th set up a much-needed birdie and he hung on from there, securing the victory with a 5-foot par putt on the final hole.
“I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous on the back nine to be honest,” said Hatton, who now has 12 career victories. “I guess I just maybe wanted it a bit too much.
“I knew the position I was in, and a little bit scruffy down the last. But yeah, to see that putt go in felt amazing. Just so happy to win.”
Said the New Zealander Hillier: “Hats off to Tyrrell. He was pretty solid down the stretch there. He's class. Well done to him.”
Former LIV Golf player Laurie Canter finished solo third while 4Aces GC star Patrick Reed tied for 10th.
The 2025 LIV Golf season begins with the opening event, LIV Golf Riyadh on Feb. 6-8 at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia.