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Fitzpatrick triumphs in epic Dubai finale
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Fitzpatrick triumphs in epic Dubai finale

Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick holed a nerve-shredding putt at the 18th to win the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai by a single shot.

Matthew Fitzpatrick holes the winning putt

The 22 year trailed Tyrrell Hatton by one shot as he stood at the 18th tee, but after Hatton carded a bogey at the last, Fitzpatrick calmly slotted in his birdie putt to get to 17 under and secure his third European Tour title.

Hatton was alone in second on 16 under, with Charl Schwartzel another two strokes back in third.

Matthew Fitzpatrick - DP World Tour Champion

Fitzpatrick started his final round one shot behind overnight leader Victor Dubuisson, but he made gains at the second and third holes to jump to the top of the leaderboard.

It means the world. To win one of these Final Series events is really special - Matthew Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick dropped into a tie for the lead when Hatton notched back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth to join him on 14 under.

But the Sheffield native rolled in his ten foot birdie putt at the long seventh to regain the outright lead.

Fitzpatrick was inches away from making another gain at the eighth but watched his birdie putt just miss the hole.

Hatton began his back nine with a birdie to join his countryman at the summit once more, and when Fitzpatrick dropped a shot at the same hole, he found himself in second place.

But Fitzpatrick responded in style, firing birdies at the 11th and 12th to share the lead with Hatton on 16 under.

Hatton took the outright lead once more when he holed his birdie putt from four feet at the 14th and he pulled off a tremendous par save from the bunker at the 17th to stay ahead.

Tyrrell Hatton

But after sending his tee shot into the water at the last, Hatton made his first bogey of the day to fall back to 16 under and open the door for Fitzpatrick.

And after getting up and down from a greenside bunker, Fitzpatrick nervelessly holed his four foot birdie putt at the last to produce a closing 67 and move to sixth in the Race to Dubai rankings presented by Rolex.

Fitzpatrick was thrilled to finish his season on a high. He said: "It means the world. To win one of these Final Series events is really special, and this one in particular - obviously the last tournament of the year. For me to win on the final week of the year is special.

"Four footers aren't normally what you want for the win but to finish it off like that makes it a lot sweeter.

"It's been a long year for me, and I've got to admit, this is just icing on the cake as a year goes. It's been a great one."

Hatton remained focused on the positives despite missing out on a second European Tour title. He said: "Obviously it's a bitter pill to swallow, but it's been a great week and for me it's been the best year of my life. So I can't get too downbeat, but these things happen.

"You know, it is what it is and I'm happy with how the week went. I'm sure hopefully in the future, I'll take my next chance."

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