Rickie Fowler produced a mesmerising display to clinch the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship title, holding off the challenges of Thomas Pieters, Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson to set up a mouth-watering 2016 season.
Three of the top six players in the world all played their part in a titanic battle at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, with McIlroy sinking a monster eagle putt at the last to join Stenson in posting a clubhouse target of 14 under.
Fowler, who had earlier bounced straight back from a double-bogey at the seventh hole by holing out from a greenside bunker for birdie at the eighth, chipped in at the 17th just minutes after McIlroy’s grandstand finish. He then watched as Pieters’ eagle putt at the 18th shaved the hole before the Belgian tapped in for birdie, leaving Fowler needing a par for victory.
Fowler duly took the required two putts and closed out a three under final round of 69, for a 16 under par total and a one-shot victory, as he sealed a second European Tour title in as many years.
Rickie Fowler
“This was a big one. Last year, obviously having a multiple-win season, I wanted to come back and work on getting back in the winner’s circle after a successful season and keep moving forward – this is a great start.
“When something happens like that (shot at eight), it definitely gives you a little boost of confidence knowing that you’ve got a good break with that after having a bad break, and sometimes you need to little luck on your side to get some wins.
“It’s the first time I’ve been inside the top five (on World Rankings). I’ve gotten in the five, so this is the highest, or lowest, however you want to say it, I’ve been ranked. So it’s definitely nice to be up there. The ultimate goal this year is to go win a major and this is a step in the right direction for sure.
“I’ve got my eye sight on one (in the world), that would be the ultimate goal, but I’m up against some pretty tough competition.
“I’m excited. There’s definitely some fine-tuning that we can do and we can always get better. I know all the players out here are always trying to get better, and that’s the goal moving forward, to be ready for Augusta.”
Thomas Pieters
“I’m a little bit disappointed, I played pretty good today. It doesn’t get much better – perfect weather, good company. I’ll just looking forward to next week now.
“I hit it really well. I drove it a little bit better this weekend, so I was going to give myself plenty of chances and could have dropped a couple more putts, but that’s how it goes.”
Rory McIlroy
“I guess it’s a case of what might have been, in way. I played a very, very average 18 holes. I guess on the back nine of the second round and the front nine of the third round — or the back nine of the second — there was an 18-hole stretch where I played maybe one-over par. In a tournament like this, you just can’t do that.
“I gave myself a lot of work to do going into the last 18 holes, and I just didn’t quite have it today. I think 68 is the best I could have done out there with the places I hit it.
“Thankfully, I gave myself a few more opportunities on the back nine and was able to convert some and finish with a nice eagle.”
Henrik Stenson
“I haven’t really been playing that good in the first outing generally – the last couple years I missed the cut in Abu Dhabi which never feels good.
“In that sense I was really happy with the first day and I putted well and hit some really good iron shots. All in all, it’s been a very good week in that sense, and the knee – it’s not given me too much pain. It just needs a bit more time to be 100 per cent.”
Jordan Spieth
“I was talking with Michael up the 18th fairway saying, wow, a birdie here and we’re definitely Top-10, and I felt like we were off this week. I didn’t make anything. I didn’t quite give a few myself a lot of chances the first couple rounds.
“I didn’t get in a rhythm, and when I did have chances, they just wouldn’t go in. I was just a little off on the read or the speed, one of the two. Sometimes that happens during a week, and we kind of grinded out eight-under on the weekend in what really could have been something special, but it also could have been worse.”
