Sunday, December 22, 2024

LIV Golf League: Tyrrell Hatton holds off Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau to earn big win in Nashville

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Tyrrell Hatton held off Jon Rahm and two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau to win the inaugural LIV Golf Nashville event on Sunday – the Englishman’s first victory since January 2021 at Abu Dhabi.

Hatton took a three-stroke lead into the round and shot a six-under 65 to polish off a six-stroke win at The Grove.

Hatton, who finished tie for 17th at the US Open last week, hit eight birdies and two bogeys to finish at 19-under, avoiding looking at a leaderboard until the 17th green.

“It was nice to play the last few holes and it not be super tight,” said Hatton. “I guess having not won for three and a half years… you wonder if you’ll be able to do it in some ways. So I was happy I was able to prove it to myself.”

This was Hatton’s ninth event since joining LIV Golf, and a tie for fourth had been his best finish. His lone PGA victory was the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

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Hatton registered his first victory since clinching the Abu Dhabi Championship in 2021

With captain Rahm shooting a 68, Hatton helped Legion XIII also win its third team title.

Rahm played his first event since an infection on his left foot kept him out of the US Open at Pinehurst No.2. after withdrawing from LIV Golf Houston during the second round.

But nobody could chase Hatton down on a steamy Tennessee afternoon.

Fellow Englishman Sam Horsfield made his own late run with five birdies over his final nine holes for a 65 to finish 13-under-par.

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Jon Rahm moved to within two strokes of Tyrell Hatton but was unable to deny the Englishman victory in Nashville

DeChambeau (68) and Rahm tied Joaquin Niemann (62) and Lee Westwood (66) at 12 under.

Rahm birdied three of his first four holes to pull within two of Hatton, only to hook his tee shot into the water on the par-four sixth. He made clear a drone used for TV coverage affected his backswing, as he went on to salvage a double bogey.

DeChambeau hit the pin on the par-three 15th and watched his birdie putt dribble away from the hole. He watched, then fell to the green and rolled onto his back.

What’s next?

The next LIV Golf League event takes place at Real Club Valderrama from July 12-14, ahead of The 152nd Open at Royal Troon the following week. Stream the PGA Tour, majors and more, without a contract, with NOW.

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