The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Belgian Thomas Pieters grabs Abu Dhabi tournament title
Thomas Pieters claimed the sixth and biggest European tour title of his career by winning the Abu Dhabi Championship by one shot after a turbulent final round on Sunday in United Arab Emirates.
The Belgian, who will turn 30 on Thursday, shot an even par 72 in the final round for a total of 278 to edge Rafa Cabrera Bello and Shubhankar Sharma, tied for second. Viktor Hovland (72) fell short in his bid for a third victory in his last four events and finished tied for fourth place with Victor Dubuisson (69), two shots back.
Defending champion Tyrrell Hatton recorded an eagle and four birdies to finish three shots back in sixth place with Ian Poulter and James Morrison. Scott Jamieson, who was bidding for a wire-to-wire victory after leading at the end of each of the first three rounds, tumbled to joint 10th place after shooting a final-round 77.
“I’m happy I can finally get my caddy, Adam, a gold bib (for winning a Rolex Series event),” said Pieters, who finished with a finalround 72. “I chickened out on the last. I was gong to go for it but I was told I was two ahead so I decided to lay up and I made a (par) five which was fine.”
Rory Mcilroy will be pondering what might have been after he moved to within two of the lead, courtesy of a 141-yard eagle on the par-four ninth and a birdie on 13. His round fell apart with three bogeys in the final five holes and he ended up with a 3-under 69 in a tie for 12th. “Honestly, I am just happy that I got to play an extra two days,” said Mcilroy. “I had to make a birdie on the last hole on Friday night just to be here, and I almost made the most of the weekend. I played well yesterday, and really well today through 13, and then a couple of loose shots coming in cost me.”
Jamieson led after every round at Yas Links, setting the pace with a brilliant opening 63 and staying ahead with a 74, before heading into the final round with a oneshot advantage over Pieters after a 68. But the 38-year-old, whose sole tour triumph came nine years ago over 36 weather-affected holes and a modified layout at the Nelson Mandela Championship, was unable to recover from a poor start, which included four bogeys in the first five holes.
CHAMPIONS: Miguel Angel Jimenez is off to a great start on the PGA Tour Champions in Hawaii. Jimenez birdied the par-4 18th hole in regulation for a 6-under 66, then beat Steven Alker on the second playoff hole in the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai to win the event for the third time. The season opener is for winners from the last two years and senior major champs from the last five years, along with a few sponsor exemptions.
AMATEUR MEN: The flag of the Cayman Islands will fly at Augusta National in April after Aaron Jarvis made birdie on the final hole Sunday for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot win at the Latin America Amateur Championship in La Romana, Dominican Republic. The 19-year-old UNLV freshman earned a spot in the Masters and the British Open, and is exempt into the final stage of U.S. Open qualifying.