Patrick Reed held off LIV Golf League rival David Puig to say a maiden Rolex Sequence title with a four-stroke victory on the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Traditional in Dubai.
The previous Masters champion took a four-shot lead into the ultimate day at Emirates Golf Membership and by no means relinquished management, regardless of seeing benefit briefly reduce by David Puig, with a level-par 72 sufficient to shut out a convincing victory.
Reed combined two birdies and two bogeys to finish the week on 14 below and comfortably forward of England’s Andy Sullivan, who jumped into second after a late birdie burst, with Puig sharing third spot alongside Julien Guerrier.
Reed posted rounds 69, 66, 67 and 72 to shut out Dubai victory
Former Open champion Francesco Molinari shared fifth spot with Nicolai Hojgaard and Jayden Schaper, as pre-tournament favorite Rory McIlroy carded his worst outcome on the occasion since 2008 with a tied-Thirty third end.
McIlroy ended the week 12 strokes again on two below alongside defending champion Tyrrell Hatton, with world No 3 Tommy Fleetwood an additional stroke adrift and none of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup group ending increased than 14th on the leaderboard.
How Reed accomplished dominant Dubai victory
Puig began the day 4 strokes behind Reed and needed to gap from 20 ft on the first to keep away from falling additional again, with the Spaniard overcoming early struggles off the tee to scramble three pars.
Reed missed a 10-foot birdie alternative to increase his lead on the par-five third and carded a three-putt bogey on the subsequent, the place Puig additionally dropped a shot after narrowly lacking the water off the tee.
David Puig threatened a final-round comeback after three consecutive birdies across the flip
The pair exchanged two-putt pars over the subsequent two holes and Reed did not convert a chance to increase his lead on the seventh, as Puig adopted a 12-foot birdie on the eighth by selecting up a shot on the subsequent to chop the benefit to 2.
Puig bought up and down from the sand to match Reed’s birdie on the par-five tenth and squandered an excellent alternative to maneuver inside considered one of his taking part in accomplice on the subsequent, lacking a four-foot putt for par after seeing Reed make bogey.
The Spaniard holed from 12 ft on the twelfth to keep away from one other bogey however noticed his hopes fade in a two-shot swing on the par-five subsequent, the place he made bogey – after discovering the greenside bunker together with his third – as Reed rolled in a six-foot birdie to revive his four-shot buffer.
Puig’s title push changed into a combat simply to safe second when a three-putt bogey on the fifteenth dropped him 5 behind and again alongside Guerrier, who had made an eagle-birdie run early on the ultimate day and completed with a three-under 69.
Reed’s lead was diminished again to 4 after a sensational end from Sullivan, who birdied 4 of his final seven holes – together with each of his final two – to leap to 10 below, though remained in whole and parred his technique to victory.
Reed savours ‘onerous’ victory after Puig ‘present’
Reed misplaced a 54-hole result in McIlroy within the 2023 occasion and posted a top-10 end ultimately yr’s match, with the 2018 Masters champion constructing on that report in Dubai to say a primary DP World Tour title exterior of majors and World Golf Championships.
“At the moment was loads tougher than I anticipated,” Reed admitted after his win. “I simply could not get something happening that front-nine. I discovered loads as we speak.
Shane Lowry holed a outstanding 75-foot birdie putt throughout his remaining spherical on the Hero Dubai Desert Traditional
“As a substitute of making an attempt to maintain the foot on the fuel early, I attempted to guard that four-shot lead. Subsequent factor you already know David [Puig] goes and birdies eight and 9 to close it down to 2,
“My caddie stated ‘now it is a dogfight. Simply go shoot below par on the again 9 and nobody will beat you’. David gave me a present with a bogey, and from then on it was about not making errors.”
What’s subsequent?
The DP World Tour stays within the Center East for the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, held on the Royal Golf Membership, with protection beginning on Thursday at 8.30am on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
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