TYRRELL Hatton is the favourite to be crowned European Tour Rookie of the Year after another magnificent tournament last weekend.

The 22-year-old from Marlow finished third at the European Masters in Switzerland, just one shot behind eventual winner David Lipsky.

He even had a putt to tie the lead lip out on the 17th, but his blemish-free 65 on Sunday followed earlier rounds of 67, 66, 65 and was good enough to earn him more than £103,000.

After finishing second at the Joburg Open and fourth at the Scottish Open, Hatton is now up to 40th in the Race to Dubai rankings with season earnings in excess of £430,000.

Never mind just keeping his card for next season, he is a guarantee for the multi-million pound Final Series later in the autumn and could well end the season inside the top 30, securing his place in next year’s Open Championship.

John Fay, Hatton’s manager at Georgia Golf, said: “It’s amazing what he’s doing this season.

“It is very, very rare to make the Final Series as a rookie – only three or four rookies out of ten even manage to keep their cards so to do what he’s done is phenomenal.

“He’s maturing as a golfer and as a man. He is very tough and very resilient and on his day he can play with the best of them.

“There is no doubt that he’s a very special talent and who knows where he is going to go with it.

“He’s now 144th in the world rankings. Two years ago he was 824th.

“He has a clear goal of getting into the world’s top 50 and then he’ll set himself new goals. He’s not resting on his laurels.”

Hatton is the clear leader in the race for the Rookie of the Year title with just over two months of the season remaining.

If he takes the accolade he will be following a long line of famous names including the likes of José Maria Olazábal, Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer.

However, he showed again on Sunday that he’s not afraid of success.

He improved his position everyday at the Masters but was still four shots off the lead going into the final day.

But three outward birdies and two more coming home, without a bogey on his card, proved yet again that he is one of those rare golfers who actually play better when they’re in the mix.

Fay said: “The guy is tough. He is very tough and very resilient.

“This was by far his best performance and the closest he’s come to winning.

“He was second in the Joburg Open but three shots off it and fourth at the Scottish Open and six shots away.

“Here he was only one shot away and if that putt had dropped on the 17th he’d have been in the play-offs.

“It was very special. It was a great, great day for Tyrrell Hatton and Marlow should be very, very proud of him.

“With a following wind, he’ll win a golf tournament. He just needs to keep doing what he’s doing.”

Hatton will play at the KLM Open in The Netherlands this weekend before returning to Great Britain for the Wales Open at Celtic Manor.