South Africa’s Branden Grace shot 5-under 67 in the final round to finish third on 273
Rory McIlroy celebrates with girlfriend Erica Stoll after winning the DP World Tour Golf Championship in Dubai on Sunday. The $8 million competition featured the top 60 players in the Race to Dubai. (Photo: AFP)
Dubai: Rory McIlroy survived a late scare and finished his frustrating season on a high, winning both the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai crown on Sunday. McIlroy got the better of overnight leader Andy Sullivan over the back nine to clinch the European Tour’s season-ending tournament.
The third-ranked Northern Irishman shot 6-under 66 with eight birdies to finish on 21-under 267, one stroke ahead of Sullivan (68). England’s Danny Willett, who started the tournament 1,613 points behind McIlroy in the Race to Dubai and needed to beat him to become the European No. 1 for the first time in his career, finished tied for fourth on 13-under 275 after shooting 70.
South Africa’s Branden Grace shot 5-under 67 in the final round to finish third on 273. McIlroy had an anxious moment late in the day when his tee shot on the par-3 17th found the water and threatened to nullify his advantage at that stage.
But the 26-year-old McIlroy made a brilliant 40-feet putt to limit the damage to a bogey, which gave him a one-shot lead going to the 18th where he and Sullivan made par.
“In hindsight, I probably should have gone with a different club and a different shot,” McIlroy said of his problems at the 17th. “It’s definitely probably the longest putt I’ve ever made for a bogey. I don’t think there’s been one that’s come at a better time,” he said.
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( Source : AFP )
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