Matthias Schwab held a three-stroke lead at the start of Sunday, and he did little wrong as he closed out with a 2-under 70 at Turkey’s The Montgomerie Maxx Royal. The papers will read that Schwab failed to birdie the last, but a run of 12 pars and one birdie to close would usually do the trick. However, birdies from Tyrrell Hatton, Kurt Kitayama, Victor Perez, Benjamin Hebert and an Erik Van Rooyen eagle led to a surreal six-man playoff. That’s rough justice if ever I’ve seen it.

The 558-yard 18^th played host to the good, the bad & the ugly; perfectly typified by Hatton overcooking a chip on the first playoff hole to roll off the other side of the green before holing out for a remarkable must-make birdie. Schwab and Kitayama- the latter chasing the European Tour’s first-ever three-win rookie season- also birdied to make it a three-man playoff.

All three made par the second time around, before Hatton produced a sensational third shot to set up a tap-in birdie seemingly for the win, but the Englishman watched on in utter disbelief as Schwab nailed a clutch putt from the fringe to extend for a FOURTH round. A full moon loomed over Antalaya as the nerves finally got the better of the Austrian, who skewed an agonisingly short par putt wide to hand Hatton his fourth European Tour title and second Rolex Series event.

It’s a victory that’s prestigious and lucrative in equal measure, and Hatton has earned a week off to rest a persistent wrist injury before returning for the season finale in Dubai on the 21^st. But Race to Dubai leader Bernd Wiesberger, along with challengers like Matt Fitzpatrick Wallace & Tommy Fleetwood, will look to get their noses out in front in South Africa this week.

Tyrrell Hatton – What’s in the Bag?

Hatton boasts a PING-heavy bag, but TaylorMade’s latest technologies made the cut as one of two fairway woods, whilst the Titleist wedges and golf balls prove ever-popular on Tour. The Adidas shoes he sports have become a 2019 favourite for Tour Pros & Weekend Golfers alike.

Driver: PING G410 Plus

Fairway Woods: TaylorMade M6, PING G410

Irons: PING i210 (4-PW)

Wedges: PING Glide Forged, Titleist Vokey Design SM7 (Raw)

Putter: PING Vault Oslo

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Golf Shoes: Adidas Tour 360 XT Golf Shoes

Written by Joseph Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com