Tyrrell Hatton was presented with the prestigious Dallah Trophy by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, in front of record-breaking crowds at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, where a final-round three-under-par 69 secured the Englishman his fifth Rolex Series title.

Hatton began the decisive day at the Majlis Course just one shot behind overnight leader Daniel Hillier, as fans filled the venue to capacity after all ticket types sold out over the weekend.

The 33-year-old quickly drew level with a birdie on the second after a fortunate bounce from the left rough saw his tee shot settle on the green before two-putting.

Hillier went back in front with a tap-in birdie at the par-five next after Hatton had been forced to lay up after driving into a bunker.

Hatton leapfrogged his playing partner at the fifth, making a gain from four feet as Hillier bogeyed after a duffed chip, and was not to be knocked off the top of the leaderboard from that point.

Hatton doubled his advantage on the sixth with a birdie from nine feet, with Hillier spurning a chance from half that distance.

A huge break came Hatton’s way when his tee shot came up short at the seventh and rolled towards the water, only to stop in the rough inches from the hazard, with the Ryder Cup star getting up-and-down for par.

Both players birdied the long tenth – Hillier leaving an eagle attempt a fraction shy – but the New Zealander then stuck his tee shot close at the 11th, with the subsequent gain halving Hatton’s lead to one.

Hatton found rough down the left off the tee at the 12th and pulled his approach into another nasty lie but, although he dropped a shot, Hillier was unable to take advantage as he failed to get up and down.

Both players were unable to take advantage of the long 13th and Hillier did well to save par from a bunker at the 15th as the battle for the title turned into a war of attrition.

The lack of birdies at the top of the leaderboard briefly offered hopes to the likes of Laurie Canter, Rory McIlroy, Shaun Norris and Niklas Norgaard.

However, Hatton took a huge stride towards victory with a brilliant wedge approach to the 16th that set up a tap-in birdie.

There was still time for a few jitters on the 18th. Hatton unsurprisingly laid up but a conservative approach to the back of the green in order to take the water out of play left him with a 45-foot birdie effort.

Hillier had gone for the green in two and gone over the back, but made a nine-footer for birdie to leave Hatton a testing five-footer, which he duly converted to finish the tournament on 15 under, one shot ahead of Hillier.

“It feels amazing,” said Hatton after claiming his eighth DP World Tour win and a record-equalling fifth Rolex Series title.

“I said earlier in the week, this is one of the events that you would like to have on your C.V. It’s such an iconic event for the DP World Tour.

“To add my name to the list of the amazing champions that have been before me, to have my name on that trophy now, it’s a dream come true.”

Canter finished alone in third on 13 under after posting a final day 68, while Nørgaard and four-time winner McIlroy finished in a share of fourth on 12 under after the pair each carded a closing 66.

Norris and Tom McKibbin were a shot further back on 11 under and Guido Migliozzi and David Micheluzzi shared eighth on 10 under.

Hatton hoisted the famous Dallah Trophy aloft after being presented it by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group.

The presentation party included His Excellency Mohammed Al Shaibani, Managing Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai and Director General of HH the Ruler’s Court, His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation, His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, Mustafa Al Hashimi, CEO of Wasl, and Dr. Pawan Munjal, Executive Chairman of Hero MotoCorp.

Also in attendance were Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Chairman of Seddiqi Holdings, Shahab Al Jassmi, Senior Vice President Ports & Terminals Commercial DP World GCC, Shayne Nelson, CEO of Emirates NBD, and Tom Phillips, Director of DP World Tour, Middle East.

Before the Hero Dubai Desert Classic officially teed off on Thursday, the tournament festivities had already begun the week prior with the third edition of the Junior Dubai Desert Classic, which, for the first time, awarded World Amateur Golf Ranking points.

Louis Klein of Czechia got his hands on the Junior Dubai Desert Classic trophy after firing a Junior Course Record 9-under 63 in the second round and posting an impressive total of 15-under par over three days of intense action at Emirates Golf Club.

This was soon followed by the Creators Dubai Desert Classic, a regional first, celebrating the growing influence of golf content creators. Sixteen renowned creators, including F0ur Br0thers, Mac Boucher and Inci Mehmet, were invited to compete in an 18-hole stroke play contest on the iconic Majlis Course, engaging with their young and digitally savvy audiences in the process.

On a day of competitive action, Woan emerged victorious in the gross category, shooting a 2-under-par 70 around the Middle East’s first grass course. Meanwhile, Templer claimed the net title with an impressive score of 64 (-8), playing off a handicap of 2.

Once the tournament got underway, the excitement extended beyond the fairways, with plenty of activities happening off the course as well. Tournament Town was the vibrant heart of family fun, where guests of all ages were immersed in a lively atmosphere from morning to night.

Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, said: “First and foremost, congratulations to Tyrrell on an outstanding performance and a well-deserved victory at this year’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

“We have been privileged to witness one of the strongest fields in the event’s rich history, featuring our four-time champion Rory McIlroy, two-time Major winner Jon Rahm, and World No.8 Viktor Hovland, along with rising stars such as Akshay Bhatia and Preston Summerhays, our leading amateur.

“This week, we’ve not only showcased world-class golf but also celebrated the vibrancy of Dubai, its people, and its forward-thinking vision.

“We’re especially proud of our continued commitment to innovation, including the return of the Mental Fitness Zone and the addition of the Step Fore It challenge, both of which have enhanced the tournament experience for players and fans. Our focus on sustainability remains unwavering, and our GEO Certified® status is testament to the ongoing efforts we’ve made to ensure the event is environmentally responsible.

“A huge thank you to our title sponsor, Hero MotoCorp, and founding partner, Emirates Global Aluminium, as well as all our partners and fans, for making this event a true celebration of golf, community, and sustainability.”

Ticket information for next year’s edition will be announced later this year. Follow the Hero Dubai Desert Classic social channels for all the latest information or visit https://www.dubaidesertclassic.com/.