Tyrell Hatton matched the St Andrews’ course record on Saturday. (Image: Getty)
Tyrell Hatton eclipsed both and during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by registering an achievement the two greats of golf have never managed at St Andrews.
Hatton topped the leaderboard at the end of a chilly but crucially dry day three on the west coast of Scotland.
He did so in emphatic fashion, making an eagle and nine birdies during a dominant round of golf to finish the day 11 under.
The Englishman didn’t only position himself as the outright favourite ahead of Sunday’s final round, but he also tied Ross Fisher’s Old Course record by getting around all 18 holes in a total of 61 shots.
Reacting to his achievement, Hatton commented: “I was just taking each hole as it came and just trying to make as many birdies as I could.
“I had actually shot 10 under here before. So yeah, I really wanted to birdie the last. That’s actually my lowest round on tour as well. Felt like I was trying harder than I normally would for a putt on the last.
“Good putt and thankfully it went in. It was a cool day.”
It’s a score several legends of the sport haven’t come close to, with Woods having hit a 19 under round at St Andrews, while McIlroy managed an impressive but still inferior 63 in 2010.
Tyrell Hatton is eyeing up a third Alfred Dunhill Links title. (Image: Getty)
Granted, the duo hit those scores during the British Open, an event markedly more prestigious than the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
But for Hatton, he can continue to make history on the final day of the championship, given no player has ever won three Alfred Dunhill titles.
The two-time champion is in a strong position to bag his third Alfred Dunhill Links Championship win, given the 32-year-old boasts a one-shot lead ahead of second-place Nicolas Colsaerts.
Beneath the two leaders, Tom Vaillant sits in third at 19 under, while Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen is 17 under and Hatton’s compatriot, Tommy Fleetwood, one below that with a score of 16 under.
McIlroy’s mixed 2024 continued though, with the Northern Irishman all the way down in T40 after a four-under-par third round left him 12 shots behind leader Hatton.
The action gets back underway at St Andrews on Sunday morning with Hatton and co. set to battle it out for a prize of £647,000.