Published : Feb. 2, 2015 - 19:46
DUBAI (AP) ― An unrelenting Rory McIlroy secured his second Dubai Desert Classic title in six years with a 2-under 70 in the final round to win by three shots on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman’s 22-under 266 total matched the lowest in the history of the tournament, set by Stephen Gallacher in 2013 and Thomas Bjorn in 2001.
The top-ranked McIlroy, whose win here in 2009 was his first as a professional, made just three birdies Sunday but kept mistakes off his card. His only bogey of the round came on the par-3 seventh hole at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course.
Rory McIlroy holds the trophy after he wins the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap)
“I just wanted to keep my ball in play and not really make any mistakes and try and pick off some birdies when I could on the par 5s,” McIlroy said.
“I did what I needed to do. It wasn’t the best round that I’ve played this year but I got the job done and that’s the most important thing.”
Sweden’s Alexander Noren, making a comeback from a wrist injury which restricted him to playing just two events in 2014, had eight birdies in his round of 65 to take second place at 19-under 269.
“I never even thought of winning, Rory’s playing so good,” said Noren, who started the year ranked 654th.
Defending champion Gallacher closed with a 69 to give the Scot third place at 16-under 272.
There was a five-way tie for fourth on 15-under 273, involving Germany’s Martin Kaymer (64), France’s Gary Stal (68), Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger (70), England’s Andy Sullivan (70) and Denmark’s Morten Orum Madsen (73).
The $2.5 million tournament forms the closing leg of the three-stop Desert Swing of the European Tour.
Phoenix Open SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (AP) ― With an eagle putt that looked as long as his golf journey around the world, Brooks Koepka surged into the lead and stayed there Sunday with a 5-under 66 to capture the Phoenix Open for his first PGA Tour victory.
Lingering for most of the final round, Koepka holed a 50-foot eagle putt from the fringe on the 15th hole and didn’t make any mistakes the rest of the way.
The victory ended a long, arduous road for the 24-year-old from Florida. With no status in America, Koepka played the Challenge Tour in countries like Kazakhstan and Kenya, winning four times to earn his European Tour card and then validating his status as a rising star by winning last year’s Turkish Open.
But winning at home brought the strongest validation.
“It feels amazing,” Koepka said after his one-shot win over Hideki Matsuyama, Masters champion Bubba Watson and Ryan Palmer.