Round 4 - Tyrrell Hatton wins again

October 14, 2017

Tyrrell Hatton sunk a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the Italian Open on Sunday for his second European Tour victory in two weeks.

Last week, Hatton retained his title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the storied Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.

Now the Englishman is up to fifth in the Race to Dubai rankings.

It looked like Hatton was heading for a three-man playoff before he rolled his final putt into the bottom of the cup and unleashed a series of fist pumps to celebrate the Rolex Series victory.

''I had a good feeling standing over it, even though my hands were shaking and my knees were shaking,'' Hatton said.

A day after celebrating his 26th birthday, Hatton birdied five of the last seven holes for a bogey-free 65 to finish at 21 under.

''It was a battle with myself today,'' said Hatton, who had a slow front nine. ''But my caddie kept saying it would come in the end and it did. ... I got a hot streak with the putter, which helps a lot.''

Fellow Englishman Ross Fisher and Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand tied for second, one stroke behind, while third-round leader Matt Wallace finished fourth at 19 under.

Defending champion and home favorite Francesco Molinari finished in a tie for sixth.

Hatton took home a first-place check of around $1.1 million, the biggest prize in an increased purse of $7 million this year as part of the buildup to the 2022 Ryder Cup outside Rome.

Crowds were large throughout the week at the Golf Club Milano, next to Monza's Formula One circuit.

Round 3 - Matt Wallace pulls two ahead

October 14, 2017

Matt Wallace held a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Italian Open on Saturday as the Englishman seeks a wire-to-wire victory.

Defending champion and home favorite Francesco Molinari stood two strokes back along with Tyrrell Hatton, last week's winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Wallace sunk five birdies and had only one bogey before pulling off a difficult par save after driving into the trees at the 18th to stay at 17 under.

''That was the only bad drive I hit this week,'' Wallace said. ''I got it out onto the fairway and that's where I knuckled down and really showed what this game means to me.''

Wallace claimed his first European Tour title at the Open de Portugal in May. Now he's seeking his first Rolex Series victory this weekend, in a tournament that features an increased purse of $7 million as part of the buildup to the 2022 Ryder Cup outside Rome.

Molinari, meanwhile, is enjoying large crowd support with no entrance fees at the Golf Club Milano next to Monza's Formula One circuit.

''I need to do my own thing and stay patient,'' Molinari said of the fans. ''Obviously they want me to do well and they want me to birdie every hole, which I have to realize is not a realistic goal. But it's great to have their enthusiastic support.''

George Coetzee of South Africa was tied for fourth with Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand after producing two eagles.

Race to Dubai leader Tommy Fleetwood climbed up the leaderboard with a 63 to get into a tie for sixth, four strokes back.

Round 2 - Marcus Fraser & Matt Wallace share lead

October 13, 2017

Australia's Marcus Fraser carded the lowest round of his European Tour career to take a share of the lead at the midway point of the Italian Open on Friday.

Fraser produced nine birdies - including five consecutive in the middle of his round - and no bogeys for a second-round 62 that took him to 13-under.

''To come and do that today, I'm pretty proud of myself and it's quite reassuring that I still can play golf,'' said Fraser, a three-time European Tour winner ranked a dismal 136th in the Race to Dubai.

''I felt like I've putted well and scrambled well this week,'' Fraser added. ''Today I took it to a new level with the putter.''

Open de Portugal winner Matt Wallace was also at 13-under following a bogey-free 65.

''I just played good golf out there today and it's perfect weather for us to shoot low,'' Wallace said.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Jamie Donaldson are each two strokes behind, while defending champion and home favorite Francesco Molinari was one stroke further back in fifth.

Donaldson had the shot of the day when he used his driver off the fairway on the ninth, his final hole, and hit to within 18 inches from 291 yards.

Masters champion Sergio Garcia and last week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship winner Tyrrell Hatton were among five players tied for sixth four strokes back.

Having entered the Rolex Series, the tournament features an increased purse of $7 million this year as part of the buildup to the 2022 Ryder Cup outside Rome.

Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was among those set to miss the projected cut of 2-under, a fate shared by the elder Molinari brother, Edoardo, Martin Kaymer, Oliver Fisher, Padraig Harrington and Danny Willett.

Round 1 - Six share first round lead

October 13, 2017

Defending champion and home favorite Francesco Molinari was among six players who shared a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Italian Open.

Jamie Donaldson, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Eddie Pepperell, Matt Wallace and Alexander Bjork also shot 7-under 64s Thursday at the Golf Club Milano, next to Monza's Formula One circuit.

George Coetzee and An Byeong-hun were both one stroke back in the Rolex Series event, which has an increased purse of $7 million this year as part of the buildup to the 2022 Ryder Cup outside Rome.

Masters champion Sergio Garcia stood in a group two strokes behind the leaders, while playing partner and fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm was among those three shots behind.

Tommy Fleetwood, who leads the Race to Dubai ahead of Garcia and Rahm, had some ground to make up after a par 71.

Molinari chipped in for birdie at No. 18, his ninth hole of the day, and finished with nine birdies and two bogeys.

''I started pretty much where I left off last year,'' Molinari said.

With no ticket fees, Molinari had a lot of fan support.

''It's great to see the crowds,'' he said. ''I think there's a nice buzz around the place and I'm happy and proud to be part of it.''

Thailand's Aphibarnrat led for most of the morning after sinking four birdies in his first eight holes before saving par at the 18th.

''This course really suits my game - small greens, quite a narrow golf course - and my driver and putter are working so well,'' Aphibarnat said.

Scores

 

About Ben Brett