Rickie Fowler won his fourth title since May last year, producing magical shots en route to clinching the $2.7 million Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Sunday. The world number six had taken the outright lead when third round play was completed early Sunday morning, and then protected his lead with solid play and pulling off crunch shots when needed most.
He finished with a three-under par 69 round for a four-day tally of 16-under par 272, one better than long-hitting Belgian Thomas Pieters, who closed with a five-under par 67.
World number three Rory McIlroy (68) made an eagle on the 18th hole and world number five Henrik Stenson (67) made three birdies in his last four holes to finish on 14-under par 274, but that was never going to be enough to catch the rock-solid Fowler.
The 27-year-old American, who is expected to rise to number four in the world rankings when it is released on Monday, made an eagle on the par-5 eighth hole - a perfect response to a double bogey on the previous hole where he skulled his second shot from the native area.