Tyrrell Hatton survived a six-man play-off to land the £1.56million prize for winning the Turkish Airlines Open – his second Rolex Series win. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S Tyrrell Hatton survived a six-man play-off under floodlights at the Turkish Airlines Open to win the $2million Rolex Series winner’s cheque.

The 28-year-old jumped to the top of the qualifying list to play in next year’s Ryder Cup.

The former B.B.&O. amateur had to chip-in to keep his hopes alive on the first trip back up the last before finally holding his nerve on the 18th green as Austrian Schwab missed a short putt to extend the play-off to the 23rd hole.

A beaming Hatton, who had veteran looper Mick Donaghy on the bag, said: “It’s so surreal. I mean, I actually can’t believe that I’ve won.

Talking about the shot on the 19th after his approach had come back down the slope, leaving him facing elimination, Hatton revealed: “Mick said, ‘Yeah, chip it in.’

“I was kind of getting in my own way with moaning about the little bit of mud on the ball – from the fairway – and obviously it was just left in a dead spot.

“I just went back to when I was a kid at Harleyford – just chipping away, and you’d hole three in a row. That really focused me, and it came out perfect.

“Amazing that it went in and just so thankful that I’ve gone on to win the title.

“It’s been quite a difficult year in terms of things happening off-course, and you know, the last month, I feel like I really found my game again.

“I said to a few people on my team that if I was lucky enough to win again, then I would definitely savour the moment, because I think it’s quite easy to take it for granted.

“You know, sport’s great when it’s going well. But when it’s not going well, it kind of hits home, so I’m absolutely thrilled,” added Hatton, who is coached by his dad Jeff.

Hatton had long-time friend Jonathan Bell, Kent’s former England international on the bag when he won the 2017 Italian Open – his first Rolex Series victory – the week after the pair successfully defended Hatton’s Dunhill title at St Andrews.

Despite playing in the record Ryder Cup victory against America at Le Paris National just over a year ago, Hatton split with Bell last year before employing Mark “Punk” Crane at the 2018 US Open, at Shinnecock Hills.

Hatton, who has been heavily criticised by TV commentators and on social media, for his frequent temper tantrums out on the course, teamed up with Donaghy earlier this year.

Hatton, who has been nursing a wrist injury which will require surgery at the end of this season, said: “Obviously amazing to have Mick on the bag and he’s done a great job this week. I’m just so happy.

“You don’t think about the money, at all. It’s all pride. And yeah, obviously it’s a bonus at the end of it after a great week, and I’m just so happy, I don’t know what else to say.”

Hatton entered the final round in glorious sunshine three shots off the lead at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

But the Harleyford GC member ended it as the last-man standing under the artificial lights after one of the most dramatic days on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

A birdie on the 72nd hole sealed a closing 67 and a place in the record-equalling play-off alongside French duo Benjamin Hebert and Victor Perez, American Kurt Kitayama, Austrian Matthias Schwab and South African Erik van Rooyen.

Hatton had to chip-in to keep his hopes alive on the first trip back up the last as Hebert, Perez and van Rooyen were eliminated on the first extra hole.

Kitayama stayed in the hunt before he was eliminated on the third extra hole, leaving Hatton and Schwab to fight it out under the floodlights for the £1.56million first prize.

Hatton found trouble with his drive and was forced to lay-up, but par was enough for him to secure his fourth European Tour title.P

Schwab, who has been a model of consisteny in his search for a maiden win, with six top fives and four top 10s, had missed a putt to win in regulation.

“It was a close call,” said Schwab. “I had some good looks and good chances coming down the stretch in regular play and didn’t take advantage of them.

“In a play-off, it is what it is,” added the Austrian, who made an excellent putt from the edge of the green as Kitayama – going for his third win of the season – was eliminated.

“It’s still a second-place finish, which is obviously not too bad, but yeah, at the moment, it’s not too great,” said Schwab.

Kitayama’s disappointment was probably tempered by those two wins in the early part of the season after shooting a joint best-of-the-day 64 to move nine places up the leaderboard to gatecrash the play-off.

“It was pretty fun,” said Kitayama. “A little disappointed, but gave myself a couple chances. It’s too bad.

“To put myself right back in it today and to get myself a win would have been amazing,” added Kitayama.

“I’m pleased how today went. The ending was tough but overall, great learning experience.”

•For the final resutls in the Turkish Airlines Open, click here.

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Matthias Schwab eagled the first at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal on his way to a 12-under total at the halfway mark in the Turkish Airlines Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MATTHIAS Schwab maintained his position at the top of the Turkish Airlines Open leaderboard after another low-scoring day at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

But America’s Patrick Reed, who received a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup overnight, clearly took inspiration from his phone call with United States captain Tiger Woods.

Reed – nicknamed Captain America after his heroic performances in his Ryder Cup debut at Hazletine in 2016 – carded a seven-under par 65 to move to nine-under, just three strokes behind Schwab.

“It means so much to me,” said Reed. “Representing our country and wearing red, white and blue is something I absolutely love and am so proud of.

“To be able to go out and get a pick, especially from captain Woods, was amazing,” added the 2018 Masters Champion.

“The big thing, and what I always was preaching, as well as what he was telling all the guys is, hey, go out and play good golf.

“Playing well takes care of everything. I was able to do that this last couple months. I was able to get on the right side and get the game in form and play the way I’m supposed to be playing.

“And because of that, I was lucky enough to be able to get a pick. Now the big thing is now that I’ve got a pick is go out and try to earn points for captain and go bring back the cup.”

Austrian Schwab started the day in a share of the lead at the sixth Rolex Series event of the 2019 Race to Dubai.

But after the redraw for the second round, a number of golfers quickly made their move up the leaderboard – with 10 competitors finishing the day on 10-under par or better by the close of play.

Schwab, who got off to a fast start picking up two shots at the first, said: “I wasn’t really hitting them great at all, especially early on but kept it together.

“Obviously the start was good with an eagle on the first hole, but then it was not very nice to watch I think.

“The long game wasn’t on but I managed to make a few good pars. On the back nine I found my swing a little bit and made a few good birdies coming home.

“Every made putt is important. I had a few good par saves on the previous holes, too, but the one on nine kept the round going a little bit.

“And then the back nine it was a little bit better. I just gave myself a few more looks on the back nine than the front nine.

“It was just keeping it together and I made a few good pars, especially on nine where I hit it on in the water off the tee and scrambled to make par.

“Then on the back nine I was better with my long game. I had a few good looks and was able to make some.”

Twenty-four-year-old Schwab leads the standings in the highest number of top 10 finishes on the European Tour this season, with nine.

Schwab has five top 10s in his last eight starts, including a share of fourth place finishes at the Italian Open, and his debut World Golf Championships appearance at last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

He birdied the last to move to 12-under, one stroke ahead of Thomas Detry, who finished third at this event last year, former Wentworth member Ross Fisher and two-time Rolex Series winners Alex Noren and Danny Willett.

Willett has two Rolex Series wins under his belt after his victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, in September.

The 2016 Masters Champion was happier with his performance in round two.

“A lot better than yesterday,” said Willett. “Real solid. Didn’t really give ourselves too many silly things. Had a couple of three-putts in there which was slightly annoying, but a nice score to build on over the weekend.

“We’re making some good moves. Trying to keep doing the same. Golf course is there for the taking.

“Going to see a lot of low scores. You’ve just got to hope that someone doesn’t go too crazy over the weekend and hope you’re still in there with a shout with 18 or nine to play,” Willett added.

“I said at the beginning of the week, it could be at least 20-under par winning this tournament – and it’s right on track for that.

“You just have to keep your foot down and keep trying at birdies and see what you can do.”

Noren is looking for his first win since last year’s French Open at Le Paris National, where he made his Ryder Cup debut two months later.

Noren said “On the front nine, I played the best I can play pretty much, and the back nine, I had a lot of chances.

“The short game kind of went on me a little bit. I’m happy with 11-under total. See what the weekend has.

“Yesterday, I played probably the best I’ve played, and today the front nine was amazing. So I take out a lot of positives.

“You know, if somebody said you get 11-under after two days, I’d take it. I just have to refocus and not think of what it could have been today – but that’s how it is.”

Defending champion Justin Rose, who is bidding to become just the fourth golfer to win a regular European Tour event three years in a row, shares sixth place with four others on 10-under.

•To follow live scoring in the third round of the Turkish Airlines Open, click here.

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Matthias Schwab birdied the last at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal to tie Tom Lewis at the top of the first round leaderboard in the Turkish Airlines Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

HERTFORDSHIRE’S Tom Lewis and Matthias Schwab share a one-shot lead fter a low scoring opening day in the Turkish Airlines Open at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

Perfect conditions greeted the leading players on the 2019 Race to Dubai as they gathered in Antalya for the sixth Rolex Series event of the season.

And it was former British Boys Champion Lewis and Schwab who took the most advantage of the conditions, carding rounds of 65 to get to seven-under par.

Austrian Schwab has nine top 10s so far this season, including two top fives in his last three events at the Italian Open – his best finish in a Rolex Series event – and on his debut at the WGC-HSBC Champions, in Shanghai, last week.

Lewis’ two European Tour wins have both come at the Portugal Masters and the Welwyn Garden City member birdied six of his last seven holes to rocket up the leaderboard.

But 28-year-old Lewis was a recent winner in the USA , claiming the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, at Indiana’s Victoria National GC, in September, to earn his PGA Tour card for 2020.

And that form followed him across the Atlantic to Belek. Lewis said: “I just holed the putts.

“I felt like I wasn’t comfortably rolling it on the front nine, even though I hit some good shots.

“On the back nine I continued to hit good shots, and I felt more confident on putts,” said Lewis who was in the same Walker Cup team that faced America at Royal Aberdeen in 2011, as Steven Brown, the winner at this last month’s Portugal Masters.

“That’s going to be the difference this week between the guy that wins and the guys that don’t,” added Lewis, who also won the prestigious St Andrews Links Trophy at the Home of Golf in 2011, before going on to lead the Open at Royal St George’s as an amateur on the first day that summer.

“I think he’s going to get good breaks, he’s going to roll it well,” said Lewis, who hails from the same club where Nick Faldo became the country’s top teenage talent, in the mid 1970s.

Schwab made the quicker start of the two leaders before catching Lewis on the 18th with his ?? birdie of the day.

“It was a very good round for me,” said Schwab. “I got off to a nice start – five-under through eight and managed to keep the momentum going on the back nine.

“I was hitting it nicely today and made a few putts, so overall it was a good day for me.

“I’m just trying to give it my best. Every time I tee it up, it seems to be working well the last few months, but I have no recipe.”

The leaders have an elite chasing pack behind them, with Ryder Cup stars Alex Noren, from Sweden, and Belgian Thomas Pieters just a shot further back at six-under, alongside the USA’s two-time European Tour winner David Lipsky.

Hampshire’s two-time defending champion Justin Rose finished with three birdies in a row.

He sits at five-under alongside Yorkshire’s double Rolex Series tournament winner Danny Willett, Belgian Thomas Detry, Frenchman Benjamin Hebert, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Dutchman Joost Luiten.

Noren, who has struggled to find the form that earned him a Ryder Cup debut at Le Golf National, said: “I hit it well off the tee, especially after hole three, four onwards – I played really well.

“I got a lot out of my driver, which helped on the back nine, and especially on the two par fives. Just felt like an easier round than a lot of other rounds this year.

“The focus is there, definitely, and I think my game has gotten a lot better the last few months. I’m just trying to kind of put all the parts of the game together, which I did today.”

Pieters who made his debut in the big defeat by the USA at Hazeltine, in 2016, is also looking to rekindle the form that brought him an 11th housr win in the Czech Republic to earn a wildcard from European captain Darren Clarke three years ago.

“It felt lovely,” said Pieters who made a birdie at the first from the sand.

“After two weeks off, it’s nice to start like that, holing the bunker shot on the first.

“I was really striking it well with the irons, maybe not as good off the tee, but my putter bailed me out a couple times for par as well.

“All in all, very pleased. The game is in good shape. Putting well, hitting my irons very well. So maybe some work on the driving and we’ll be good.”

Lipsky said: “It’s the lowest round I’ve shot in a while and to go out there and play as solidly as I did gives me a lot of confidence going forward.

“The season has been up-and-down. I played really well in spots. Played really poorly in spots.

“I missed five, six, seven cuts in a row or something like that. It’s been up-and-down, but I feel like the game’s turning around and getting a bit of consistency back.

“I look forward to the last three events,” added Lipsky, whose last win came at last year’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, nearly a year ago.

Rose is looking to join the Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam as the only players to win a regular European Tour event three years’ running.

The North Hants GC member who birdied the last three holes said: “I guess job done. The hot finish was exactly what we needed.

“I was aware of the leaderboard. Obviously, it was a perfect day to play golf as it normally is here in Turkey, and I could see the lads got in low.

“Our group was having some frustrations – just trying to make the birdies, certainly make the putts.”

Rose added: “As the sun got low, you could kind of see what you’re facing and it’s difficult to trust your reads coming in.

“I managed to wiggle in there the last few holes, so delighted with the score, really, more than anything.”

•For live scoring from the Turkish Airlines Open click here.

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Robert MacIntyre raced into a four-shot lead at the halfway mark in the Porsche European Open after a superb 65 at Green Eagle Golf Courses, in Hamburg. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ROBERT MacIntyre stormed into the Porsche European Open lead, firing a flawless seven-under par 65 to take a four-stroke advantage into the weekend after the second round in Hamburg.

The 23-year-old, who started the day two strokes behind 18-hole leader Paul Casey, carded the low round of the week so far at Green Eagle Golf Courses.

The Scotsman recorded three birdies on the front nine, which he matched as he came in, capping his round with his seventh gain of the day on the 18^th hole.

MacIntyre, who played for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup at Los Angeles Country Club two years ago, said: “I just stuck to my game plan – it’s probably the best I’ve driven the ball this year.

“It’s not just going straight, it’s going miles. I don’t know what I’m doing but it’s working, and I’ll try and continue to do it,” added the Scot, who hails from Oban.

“I’ve changed quite a few things over the season to improve. Dave, my coach, is on the bag this week, he’s doing a great job off the course when I’m at home and doing the right things. It’s great to see the reward.

“It’s going to be tough, especially when it’s the first time that I’ve got such a lead – whether on the Challenge Tour or here on the European Tour – I’ll have to learn from this experience.

“I’m doing the right things on the course and the right things off the course, I’m nice and relaxed,” added MacIntyre, who was beaten in the final of the 2016 Amateur Championship by Hampshire’s Scott Gregory, who made a rare cut this week after a season of struggle for the Corhampton player, who was also a Walker Cup team-mate of the tournament leader in LA, in 2017.

“Everything at home has been brilliant, so I’m in the right mindset for going out this weekend.”

A runner-up on two occasions in his rookie season – at the Betfred British Masters and Made in Denmark in back-to-back weeks in May – this is the first time MacIntyre has held an overnight lead on the European Tour.

Leading the chasing park is Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer, who delighted the home crowds with a six-under par round of 66 to get to seven-under after 36 holes.

Ritthammer said: “I’ve had a slow season so far, it’s been tough. I’ve been working hard and not really getting any results.

“Friday for me normally has something to do with fighting the cut – I was very pleased with how I played yesterday, only one-under, but conditions were pretty brutal in the morning. That was as good as today.

“I got off to a good start and felt like I was flushing the ball, felt like it was going where I wanted to go,” added the player looking for his maiden European Tour victory.

“The putter really warmed up and I made some incredible par saves and really good birdie putts. I didn’t expect it to be that easy today, I just played really well.”

Ritthammer is two strokes ahead of the trio of Casey, Italian Guido Migliozzi and Austrian Matthias Schwab.

Bernd Wiesberger and Alexander Björk share sixth place on four-under, while German Dominic Foos is one of six players a stroke further back in eighth.

•For live scores in the third round click here.

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Paul Casey shares the lead at the Porsche European Open after a sparkling 66 in testing conditions at Green Eagles Golf’s Nord Course. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PAUL Casey defied testing conditions at Green Eagle Golf Courses to card a stunning six-under par 66, to take a one-stroke lead into the second round of the Porsche European Open.

Surrey’s four-time Ryder Cup player carded five birdies on the back nine, adding to gains made on the first and seventh holes, to sit one stroke ahead of Austria’s Matthias Schwab, who carded a bogey-free round of five under par.

Casey who has won 12 more times since his first win on the European Tour at Gleneagles in 2001, said: “It was a really good round of golf.

“There were a couple of putts that slipped by, but that is such a difficult golf course. I was happy with the patience I was showing and the quality of strike, considering I hadn’t played well in the pro-am.

“Now I stand here happier. The score doesn’t really do it justice – that’s one of the finest rounds of golf I’ve played this year,” added the four-time Ryder Cup player.

“I prefer it when it’s hot. I’ve always been a very good driver and I’m a good long-iron player – that was demonstrated today.

“The three-iron I hit into the 14^th was good. It suits me, but it doesn’t mean I enjoy it. I like easier golf courses, but this is the Porsche European Open – it is meant to be difficult.

“I’m here for a competition and I’m here because I want to win,” said Casey, who has four top fives and four top 10s in Germany, playing in the BMW International and Linde German Masters.

Matthias Schwab, who finished tied for eighth last week in the Omega European Masters at Crans, said: “It was a very good round for me.

“It was tough conditions – rain, really strong wind and sun every now and then. I managed to adjust well, I made some good shots and made some good putts – I’m happy with my score.

“I’m happy with only one bogey on my scorecard, added the Austrian, who is still seeking his maiden European Tour victory in his second full season on Tour.

Schwab added: “I had a four-week break and that came at the right time. I took some time off and worked on my game a bit, that seems to have paid off.”

Just 22 players in the 150-man field finished their first rounds under par after battling wind and rain on the Porsche Nord Course, which is the third-longest visited by the European Tour in 2019.

Wilshire’s Brabazon Trophy winner Ben Stow set the early clubhouse lead on four-under, and was joined on that number by Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and German Max Rottluff.

Stow, the Rushmore Park player who won the English Amateur Strokeplay in 2014 before turning pro in 2015, said: “I worked my ball really well around the golf course.

“I managed it quite well and I chipped and putted really nicely. In these types of conditions you have to chip and putt well.

“I holed some good seven/eight-footers to keep it going and made some good birdies as well,” added Stowe, who missed four months with a serious knee injury before bouncing back with his maiden Challenge Tour win in Prague last summer.

Rottluff is making just his fifth European Tour appearance this week and said: “I played solid off the tee, especially in the wind.

“Finding the fairways was keen and I rolled in a few nice putts, which was a bonus and I managed to get around with a decent score.

“I’ve been in the US for seven years now. Graduated in ’16. Every year I felt like I was getting better in every aspect of the game and off the golf course, in terms of managing myself and travelling.

“I feel like I’ve been developing nicely and to come and shoot a good score is proving to myself that I have been working in the right places.”

Australian Lucas Herbert built on his tied-eighth finish at last week’s Omega European Masters with a three-under par start in Hamburg.

He joined Sweden’s Alexander Björk and Sussex’s Ben Evans in sixth place. Thomas Pieters – winner of last month’s D+D Real Czech Masters – is one of four players four strokes behind Casey on two-under.

For live scoring in round two click here.

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FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlory raced up the mountains and the leaderboard with a second round 63 in the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

RORY McIlroy produced a blistering finish to day two of the Omega European Masters and sits just one shot off the lead heading into the weekend, at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club.

Malaysia’s Gavin Green posted a round of 64 from the very first group of the day to set the target at 11-under par.

And while nobody could catch him, McIlroy whipped the crowds in Crans Montana into a frenzy as he picked up five shots in his last five holes in a second round 63.

McIlroy said: “Going out this afternoon eight shots off the lead, you know there are scores out there, but you don’t want to push too hard. Getting myself much closer to the lead going into the weekend was nice.

“I felt like I swung it a bit better today than yesterday. I hit the driver better, definitely hit better iron shots,” McIlroy added.

“The confidence that gives you throughout the round to take on that pin on 16 for example. If I hadn’t hit the shots I hit previously, I might have gone a bit left of it.

“I’m excited to give myself another chance to win. Would have been easy for me to take my foot off the gas after last week, but I really wanted to come here and play well,” said last week’s winner of the $15million FedEx Cup at East Lake GC, in Georgia.

“Hopefully two more good days of golf left in me, give myself a chance to win this tournament, which I’ve had a great chance to win before. I would love to add this title to the list.”

The Northern Irishman came within a whisker of claiming his maiden European Tour victory in Crans in 2008.

And in his three appearances in the Swiss mountains McIlroy has never finished lower than seventh.

The World No. 2 looked right at home from the moment he teed off eight shots behind Green, who represented Malaysia in the 2016 Rio Olympics, in the second round.

Green, who is looking for his maiden European Tour victory having won 21 times as an amateur, said: “It was just a little bit of misjudgment on the first, and then things got hot.

I played well, hit a lot of greens, made some putts. Just kept the ball rolling. I’m just trying to enjoy it and play as well as I can. That’s all I can ask for.

“The atmosphere and views are amazing. In Malaysia we don’t have anything like this. I’ve been here a couple of times now and the views never get old.

“The altitude is similar to where I went to university in New Mexico, Albuquerque, it’s a few thousand feet too. I’m pretty used to how altitude works. It’s just when it’s cold it gets a little tricky. But adjustments made and it’s been really fun.”

Tommy Fleetwood, the 2017 Race to Dubai winner, is also in the group at 10-under alongside McIlroy, Australia’s Wade Ormsby, Austrian Matthias Schwab and Argentina’s Andres Romero – whose round of 61 was the lowest of the week so far.

Fleetwood said: “I’ve worked on the putting green the last couple of days on my stroke, so it’s just nice to see some roll in.

“I feel like we’ve read them well and not given anything away on the greens, which is a massive key to scoring. Hopefully I can keep that up for a couple of days.

The runner-up at the Open at Royal Portrush added: “Out here you are playing against 156 of the best players in Europe. Every week there will be 10, 20 guys at least playing really well.

“To make the cut these days you’ve got to play really well. And then there’s the guys who are playing really, really well. Seventy-two holes is a long time to keep concentration.

“When you tap in on the first on Thursday morning it’s equally as important as when you finish on Sunday.

“It’s just nice to keep putting myself in positions and hopefully I’ll start winning more. Maybe that will start this week,” said Fleetwood, whose last win came in Abu Dhabi at the start of 2018.

Schwab, looking for his maiden win in Europe, said: “Bogey free after two rounds is great.

“Other than that, I played really well yesterday and I played solid today, not as good – my irons and my long game wasn’t as sharp – but still I didn’t make too many mistakes and I’m happy with where I’m at.

“I worked out a schedule for the last 10 or 11 events which fit me and my game. I was trying to include enough rest time as well,” said Schwab, who has two top fives this season.

“It worked well in Prague, last week I had a nice week at home, and I guess it’s working well again this week.

“I’ve watched Rory on TV growing up, so it’s awesome that he’s up there. But in the end it doesn’t really matter who’s around me or who’s in the lead, I’ll just try to do my best to play good golf.”

Italian Lorenzo Gagli and Hideto Tanihara, from Japan, are two shots further back at eight-under.

The pair are a shot clear of 55-year-old 2010 champion Miguel Ángel Jiménez, his fellow Spaniard Adri Arnaus and another Italian in Renato Paratore.

For live scoring click here.

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