Golf

Tommy Fleetwood holds off Dustin Johnson to claim Abu Dhabi Championship

Paul Dunne hit a disappointing final round of 77, leaving him four under par overall

Tommy Fleetwood after winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

Sun Jan 22 2017 - 13:39

England's Tommy Fleetwood produced a brilliant burst of scoring to claim his second European Tour title in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Fleetwood carded a closing 67 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to finish 17 under par, a shot ahead of US Open champion Dustin Johnson — who eagled the last — and Spain's Pablo Larrazabal.

Ireland's Paul Dunne hit a very disappointing five over par round of 77, leaving him back in a tie for 39th after a promising opening three rounds.

Three bogeys on the front nine, were followed by further bogeys on the 11th, 12th and 16th holes. Dunne’s only final round birdie came on the 17th hole, as he finished up on four under for the tournament.

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Three-time winner Martin Kaymer also eagled the 18th to finish in a tie for fourth with Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Bernd Wiesberger on 15 under.

Fleetwood began the day a shot off the lead and got off to a poor start with a bogey on the third, but then birdied the eighth, chipped in for an eagle on the 10th and birdied the 11th.

That took the 26-year-old from Southport into a share of the lead with playing partner Aphibarnrat, who did superbly to salvage a bogey on the 12th after finding water off the tee before bouncing back with a birdie on the next.

A birdie on the 16th saw Fleetwood regain the lead and after a wild drive on the last hit a spectator, he effectively made sure of the win with a brilliant three wood onto the green to set up a two-putt birdie.

Overnight leader Tyrrell Hatton struggled to a closing 75 to finish in a tie for 13th.

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