Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Power Rankings

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ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 09: Tyrrell Hatton of England holds the trophy aloft on the Swilken Bridge on the 18th hole after winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at The Old Course on October 9, 2016 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) /

Tyrrell Hatton is here to defend his 2016 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The Englishman won by four at a record 23-under-par and played St. Andrew’s at 16-under the final two days. He made just three bogeys all week and matched the Old Course record with a 10-under 62 on Saturday.

Some of the 25-year-old’s best golf comes on links courses. His young career features two top-fives at the Scottish Open and lone top-fives at The Open Championship and Irish Open. Ironically, Hatton missed his first two Alfred Dunhill Links cuts before breaking through for the win in 2016.

His overall game is healthy this year as he places in the top 50 in most statistical categories on the European Tour.

Hatton missed six of seven cuts from June to August but is trending back upward. He posted a season-best T3 at the Omega European Masters last month and tied for eighth at last week’s British Masters.

Hatton led after two rounds at 12-under but sputtered to a 71-69 finish to remain at 12-under, eight off the pace. Seven of his last eight rounds have been in the 60s.

I envision Hatton defending his title with grace this week. If things go his way, he could become the tournament’s first back-to-back champion and join Pádraig Harrington as a multiple winner.

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