Hot back nine lands Fleetwood fresh title

ABU DHABI: England’s Tommy Fleetwood played flawless golf in gusting winds to successfully defended his title at the $3 million Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday.

At the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, the 27-year-old Englishman shot a seven-under par 65 round - with six of his birdies coming on the back nine in difficult conditions - to beat compatriot Ross Fisher by two shots.

The Southport-based world No18 made the turn at one-under par, and was five shots adrift of Fisher at the stage, but made one stunning birdie after another to edge Fisher.

Fleetwood, who is the current Order of Merit champion on the European Tour, showed his class with a superb second shot from the waste area while stymied behind a tree to six feet for birdie. He then rolled in a 25-feet putt for birdie on the 15th hole to tie for the lead, and a 50-feet putt to take outright lead on the 16th hole.

Fisher (69) started the day in impressive fashion with an eagle on the second hole, courtesy a 45-feet putt, and was four-under at the turn. But on the back nine, he made a bogey on the 10th and a solitary birdie on the 16th hole to finish on 20under par.

Rory McIlroy, playing his first tournament in over three months, shot a 70 to tie for third place at 18-under par alongside Matthew Fitzpatrick (69). World No1 Dustin Johnson (70) finished tied ninth on 14-under par.

Overnight joint leader, Belgium’s Thomas Pieters (72), and England’s Chris Paisley (69), winner of last week’s South African Open, were tied fifth at 17-under 271. - AFP