Brilliant bunker shot helps Perez to survive late scare in Abu Dhabi
VICTOR PEREZ survived a nervous finale to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by one shot after a shooting a six- under- par 66 in his final round. The Dundee- based Frenchman started the day a shot off co- leaders Shane Lowry, Francesco Molinari and Min Woo Lee.
While former Open winners Lowry and Molinari faded, Australian Lee stayed in contention and managed to draw level after Perez dropped a shot at the 14th at Yas Links.
Perez, who finished runner- up in 2020, responded impressively with an immediate birdie at the 15th before holing his bunker shot at the 17th for another gain and a two- shot lead.
It looked unassailable before he found another bunker and then the penalty area on the 18th but he took his medicine with a bogey to finish on a victorious 18- under- par total.
Lee and Swede Sebastian Soderberg finished tied for second after shooting 68 and 67 respectively, while Padraig Harrington, who at 51 was bidding to become the oldest winner on the DP World Tour, was fourth on his own on 16 under after closing with a 67.
An emotional Perez reflected on his birdie on the 17th as the “greatest” of his life.
The dramatic finish did not quite match his Dutch Open triumph in May, where he needed a play- off before he won on the fourth extra hole, but he admitted to hoping for a more routine victory next time.
“It is probably the greatest shot I ever hit,” Perez said of his birdie on the 17th. “I thought you always need a bit of fortune and there’s always the deciding shots coming down the stretch that can make or break. To hole that bunker shot on 17 is probably going to be a highlight for a little bit.
“I got off to a good start and was trying to just focus on me, do the best I can because I know I can’t control what everybody else is doing. I was trying to plod along but Seb played fantastic and he was always right there.
“I am just delighted to finish on top because it was a crazy finish but I feel like I am used to that now! Hopefully I can make it a little easier for the next.
“It is a great year ahead. There are a lot of big things coming up. I’ve had a really good off- season, I’ve worked really hard.
“I felt like I had a great preparation. I had a really big break of work that I was able to do, which is difficult and rare to have time off. I think now the season is so packed. There are so many events. It’s so hard to train. You either train or you rest. It’s hard to prepare.
“I was actually able to have a nice block. I decided not to play in December to focus on the season ahead with all the objectives that are coming up with the 10 cards for the PGA Tour. There is the Ryder Cup; there is so much going on.”
Molinari struggled to build on his overnight joint lead and could only card 71 for a tie of fifth, while Lowry endured an error- strewn back nine with three bogeys and a double bogey to drop to 28th.
Scotland’s Grant Forrest, who had started the day just a shot off the lead, could only card a final- round 72 to finish six shots behind and joint 10th.
Tyrrell Hatton’s 65, which included a hole- in- one at the par- three 13th, saw him earn a share of seventh.