European Tour: Italian Open Power Rankings

MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 18: Francesco Molinari of Italy walks off the 18th hole during the fourth round of the Italian Open at Golf Club Milano - Parco Reale di Monza on September 18, 2016 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 18: Francesco Molinari of Italy walks off the 18th hole during the fourth round of the Italian Open at Golf Club Milano - Parco Reale di Monza on September 18, 2016 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 11
Next
Italian Open
ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 08: Tyrrell Hatton of England celebrates victory with the trophy following the final round of the 2017 Alfred Dunhill Championship at The Old Course on October 8, 2017 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /

Tyrrell Hatton successfully won back-to-back titles last week in his defense of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Can the soon to be 26-year-old on Saturday now make it two in a row on the calenda?

His game is pointing back up after a disappointing summer. The Englishman won last week going away, all with one of his best friends, Jonathan Bell, on the bag.

“You know, if you told me in the summer that I was going to win again before the end of the year, I probably wouldn’t have believed you,” Hatton said in his post-tournament press conference as transcribed by ASAP Sports. “And you know, to make it happen, you know with, my friend on the bag, Jonathan, has been so special.”

The win was his third top 10 in as many starts (T3 at the Omega European Masters and T8 at the British Masters) to bookend his strong start to the season.

Hatton tied for 45th at his only start at Golf Club Milano in 2016. He was under par each day to reach seven-under, but he could never go lower than 69.

This week will be just the second time in 2017 that Hatton has played for the third week in a row. Fatigue could be a factor, especially after keeping the pedal down to win last week, but Hatton is a smart pick at this point no matter the circumstances.