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McIlroy wins in Dubai |
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02/02/2009 10:24:13 AM |
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Teenage Irish prodigy Rory McIlroy won the $2.5m Dubai Desert Classic yesterday leading the tournament from wire to wire to lift his first title as a professional.
It was a breakthrough triumph for the 19-year-old Ulsterman, but it was one he so nearly let slip away after seeming to be home and dry six strokes clear with six to play.
In the end he needed to sink a tough four-footer on the 18th after pitching into a bunker to clinch the win and hold off a late charge from England’s Justin Rose.
McIlroy closed with a two-under par 70 for a total of 19-under-par 269 one stroke clear of the 2007 European Tour Order of Merit winner who had a 67 for second place.
The 2007 champion here Henrik Stenson of Sweden was third two strokes back from McIlroy after a closing 67 with a three-way tie for fourth between Robert Karlsson of Sweden (65), Martin Kaymer of Germany (67) and Paul Casey of England (68).
“I got myself in a great position on the back nine, but then let go a few shots,” McIlroy said.
“It was just great to to get up and down from the bunker for the win. That was one of the best bunker shots I have played.
“To beat a field of this quality is very satisfying.”
It was McIlroy’s first win in 46 attempts since turning pro in 2007 and he became the youngest winner on the European Tour since Sergio Garcia at the 1999 German Masters.
The win in the Gulf region’s premier tournament underlines his status as one of the most exciting prospects in world golf and sets him up for a first tilt at the Masters in April.
Leading by two strokes after he completed his delayed third round in 67 earlier in the day, McIlroy opened his final round in sensational style with three straight birdies to get to 20-under.
That gave him a five-stroke cushion over the field and he looked set for a comfortable win before three-putting from 10 feet for a double bogey six at the fifth.
But with none of his main challengers able to make much inroads, the former world amateur No. 1 was able to put that blip behind him and five straight birdies from the ninth left him with a whopping six-stroke advantage.
McIlroy again looked home and dry but there was a late major wobble to negotiate as he bogeyed three in a row from the 15th.
Nearest challenger and playing partner Rose had eagled the 13th and a birdie at the 17th cut the margin to just one stroke with just the par-five 18th to come.
A nervous-looking McIlroy pitched his third into a back bunker, while Rose was on the green 15 feet away from the pin.
But when Rose narrowly failed to make his birdie putt, McIlroy got up and down for par sinking a four-footer for what could turn out to be a landmark win.
He desribed the winning putt as “the best shot I have played under pressure.
Rose said that although trailing by six with six to play, he always felt he had been in with a chance of pulling off a win.
“I knew the situation coming in,” he said. “The wind really picked up and it’s hard to close out your first win,” he said.
“It takes guts after having a finish like that to have to step up and up-and-down from the back trap and hole a four-footer.”
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Source:Thepeninsulaqatar.com |
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