Aaron Rai on course for place in European Tour’s grand finale

The 24-year-old, from Wolverhampton, tied for 44th position in the Rolex series event in Antalya, Turkey over the weekend.

The result leaves him in 47th position in the European tour’s Race to Dubai – with earnings of around £660,000 for the 27 tournaments he has played so far this season. It takes his total career earnings to an impressive £1.4million.

The top 50 ranked European Tour players earn exemption to play at the end of season DP World Tour Championship in Dubai at the end of November. And with just one tournament left to play before then – the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa this weekend – it looks highly likely that Rai will make the showpiece in the Middle East a week later.

Former Shropshre & Herefordshire junior Rai got his year off to the perfect start, winning the opening tournament in Hong Kong last November and collecting a cheque for around £250,000.

The latest event in Turkey was won by England’s Tyrell Hatton following a record-equalling six-man play-off which finished under floodlights.

“It’s so surreal,” said Hatton, who will undergo wrist surgery at the end of season. “I actually can’t believe that I’ve won. It’s been quite a difficult year in terms of things happening off course and the last month I feel like I really found my game again.”

“I said to a few people on my team that if I was lucky enough to win again then I would definitely savour the moment, because I think it’s quite easy to take it for granted. Sport’s great when it’s going well, but when it’s not going well it kind of hits home so I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Hatton injured his wrist in a fall while making his Masters debut in 2017 and will be back at Augusta National in April after his victory lifted him from 48th in the world rankings to 30th. The top 50 at the end of the year earn invites to the year’s first major.

“That’s really exciting,” added the 28-year-old Ryder Cup winner, whose win also boosts his chances of representing Europe in Whistling Straits next year.

“I was well aware of my world ranking coming into this week. I just really wanted to have a good day today because I felt that if I played well, then that might secure the Masters.

“It’s such an amazing tournament and I can’t wait to get that Masters invite through the post again. It’s a special feeling, and obviously just a bonus with what comes with doing well.”

Schwab was understandably crestfallen after missing out on his maiden European Tour title, the 24-year-old carding a closing 70 but crucially failing to birdie the 18th in regulation for the first time this week.

“It was a close call,” Schwab said. “I had some good looks and good chances coming down the stretch in regular play and didn’t take advantage of them.

“It’s still a second-place finish, which is obviously not too bad, but at the moment it doesn’t feel too great.”