Tyrrell Hatton makes confident Rory McIlroy prediction after outplaying him in Race to Dubai finale
Tyrrell Hatton makes confident Rory McIlroy prediction after outplaying him in Race to Dubai finale
Sam FrostSat, November 14, 2026 at 6:13 PM UTC
0
Tyrrell Hatton is expecting a Rory McIlroy fightback in Dubai on Sunday -Credit:Richard Heathcote/Getty Images (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
DUBAI — Tyrrell Hatton believes Rory McIlroy will muster a stirring response after a difficult moving day at the DP World Tour Championship.
The Ryder Cup teammates were tied for the lead at five under par at the start of play on Saturday, and McIlroy hit the front with an eagle at the seventh. But he followed it with three consecutive bogeys, sapping him of any momentum at the Earth Course.
Six-time major winner McIlroy is chasing an eighth Race to Dubai title, which would equal Colin Montgomerie's all-time record, but he faces an uphill battle to get the job done in Sunday's final round.
• Jon Rahm four-putts from eight feet in hammer blow to Race to Dubai chances
• Eugenio Chacarra gives defiant 'I'm ready' verdict as Rory McIlroy duel goes down to wire
McIlroy and rankings leader Eugenio Chacarra are among a clutch of four players tied for fourth place, four shots off the pace set by Hatton. The Northern Irishman had to settle for a level-par 72, and Chacarra profited with a four-under-par 68 to put himself on the verge of a stunning Race to Dubai triumph.
McIlroy trails the Spaniard by 534 points heading into the final round of the season, and he will likely need to finish in second place and ahead of Chacarra to clinch a history-making Order of Merit win.
Advertisement
Hatton, who fired a 68 of his own, believes it would be foolish to count McIlroy out. The Englishman said: "We get on pretty well. I'd say we enjoy each other's company.
Hatton fired a four-under-par 68 to take the solo lead at the Earth Course -Credit:Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images
"Obviously, he'll be disappointed with how he's scored today. It wasn't easy, but I expect Rors to come out tomorrow and play a great round of golf. I'm sure he will. There's a lot of guys who have a chance tomorrow."
What Chacarra lacks in experience, he makes up for in heart, and while he has not had his A game this week, he amassed nine birdies in a chaotic third round to move level with McIlroy and retake pole position in the season-long race.
"I'm ready," he said. "I think all of my goals have been done this season, so I'm just playing free. This is an extra bonus to have a chance to win it, and just to enjoy every moment.
"Not a lot of people can enjoy this moment and have a chance to win the Race to Dubai. I'm going to have a chance, and I'm going to go try and enjoy it as much as possible.
"I just want to win the tournament. I'm not far away. I think I'm three shots out now. Hopefully they don't make a lot of birdies coming in and I have a shot tomorrow. I know if I win the tournament, I win the ranking.
"That's what we prepared for, and I'm going to have a chance on Sunday. That's what I dreamed of since I was little — to win big events on Sunday, and I'm going to have a chance."
Source: “AOL Sports”
