Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin mounted final-round challenges but couldn't stop LIV Golf's Tyrrell Hatton from claiming his fifth Rolex Series win with a one-shot victory in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Hatton led by just a shot from New Zealand's Daniel Hillier and by three from McIlroy with three holes to play at Emirates Golf Club.

But after McIlroy failed to birdie the 17th, the English star made a brilliant birdie at the 16th to extend his lead to two shots and went on to make a clutch five-footer for par at the 18th to win by one from the Kiwi on 15-under and boost his Ryder Cup automatic qualifying hopes, given he will have limited opportunities.

"It feels amazing," Hatton said after clinching his eighth DP World Tour win. "I said earlier in the week this is one of the events that you would like to have on your CV. It's such an iconic event for the DP World Tour.

"To add my name to the list of the amazing champions that have been before me, and yeah, to have my name on that trophy now, yeah, it's a dream come true."

McIlroy started the day seven shots off the pace but he had to settle for a share of fourth on 12-under after an impressive, six-under 66 as McKibbin shot 69 to finish a shot further back in a tie for sixth, boosting his Ryder Cup credentials.

"That's pretty cool," McIlroy said of his 12th successive top-10 in the event. "I probably just left myself a bit too much to do after three days. I had chances, and I was burning the edges.

"Felt like I putted pretty well without anything going in and then today, didn't really feel like I played that differently the way I played the last few days.

"I just holed a couple of putts and made a couple of good up-and-downs when I had to. I feel like I got progressively better as the week went on, which bodes well for obviously the next few weeks."

Needing a fast start, McIlroy bogeyed the driveable second after finding trouble left of the green.

The Holywood star did not go through the motions, however, and after making birdies at the third and seventh to get to seven under, he made a run on the back nine.

Birdies at the 10th, 11th and 13th catapulted him into the top five on 10-under, four behind Hatton before he rolled in a double-breaking 18-footer at the 16th to close to within three on 11-under.

The world number three knew he could put Hatton under pressure with a hot finish, but he found a heavy lie left of the driveable 17th and failed to make an 18-footer for birdie that would have put him with two shots of the leader.

Hatton then seized the moment with a brilliant birdie at the 16th, where he split the fairway, floated a 134-yard short iron to within two feet, and brushed in the putt to go two clear of Hillier on 15-under.

It was also a good day for McKibbin, who began the final round five strokes behind Hillier and got off to the perfect start after birdies at the second and third, got him to within two of the lead after the New Zealander and Hatton bogeyed the first.

But the Co Antrim talent - who has gained 20 yards off the tee thanks to a new ball-driver combination - short-sided himself at the fifth and dropped a shot before three-putting the short seventh for another bogey to find himself six adrift of Hatton.

The Englishman bogeyed the first but birdied the second, fifth and sixth to turn two clear of the field on 14-under.

McKibbin regrouped on the back nine and birdied the par-five 10th and 13th holes before rolling in a 10-footer for birdie at the 14th to close to within three of his potential LIV Golf teammate Hatton, who bogeyed the 12th.

His title challenge ended with a bogey at the 200-yard 15th, where he overshot the green.

While he bounced back with a birdie at the 17th, he drove into the water at the 18th and did well to find the green with his third and two-putt for a 69 to finish tied for sixth on 11-under and show Luke Donald he’s a Ryder Cup prospect, even if he does go to LIV.

As for Hatton, the Englishman saw his lead reduced to one when Hillier birdied the 10th and 11th.

He thought he had a two-shot lead when Hillier double hit a chip en route to a bogey at the 12th but learned the rule had changed at the 13th and went on to grind out an impressive win.

"I actually thought they had the score wrong because when he double hit on the chip shot, I actually thought it counted as an extra shot,” Hatton revealed.

“(My caddie) Hugo told me on the par-five and I thought it was two, but it was one. But yeah, I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous on the back nine, to be honest.

"I guess I just maybe wanted it a bit too much.The Englishman made a clutch par putt from four feet at the 14th to retain his advantage and followed that birdie at the 16th with a par at the 17th to take a two-shot lead to the last.

He hit a poor three-wood off the tee and laid up but was forced to make a tough five-footer for victory after Hillier made a sensational pitch and putt birdie from behind the green.

"I knew the position I was in, and a little bit scruffy down the last," Hatton said. "But yeah, to see that putt go in felt amazing. Just so happy to win.

As for his Ryder Cup hopes, he added: "Like I said earlier in the week, this event and the four majors this year are massive for me to try and earn as many points as I can to try and be an automatic qualifier.

"This is a big step in the right direction. So happy with that, and looking forward to the rest of the year."