Sunday 24 January 2016 15:29, UK
Rickie Fowler recovered from a front-nine blunder to hold off Thomas Pieters and the chasing pack to claim a one-shot victory at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
Three late birdies helped Fowler complete a bogey-free 65 in the delayed third round, before a three-under 69 was enough for the American to secure his second European Tour title.
Victory lifts Fowler, who also won the Scottish Open at Gullane last July, to fourth in the world rankings, with Henrik Stenson and Rory McIlroy finishing the week in a tie for third.
Having opened his final round with back-to-back birdies to move four strokes clear, Fowler lost ground with a double-bogey at the seventh after thinning his shot from the rocky waste area across the green.
Alejandro Canizares then sunk a 25-foot gain at the 10th to briefly cut Fowler's lead to one, only for the American to bounce back by holing out from the bunker at the par-five next.
Pieters took advantage of Fowler's eight consecutive pars by picking up shots at the 10th and 13th to move within one of the lead, with Stenson and McIlroy later joining the Belgian on 14 under.
McIlroy had found the water earlier in his round but followed a birdie at the 17th with a 35-foot eagle at the last to close a four-under 68, while Stenson finished with three gains in a four-hole stretch.
Fowler's chip-in gain at the 17th gave him a two-shot cushion, with a two-putt par at the last enough after Pieters' long-range eagle attempt to force a play-off stopping short of the cup.
"I didn't do much wrong today," Pieters said. "I drove it a little bit better this weekend, so gave myself plenty of chances and could have dropped a couple more putts, but that's how it goes."
World No 1 Jordan Spieth was once again frustrated with his putting, but a third 68 of the week was enough for him to finish in the group tied-fifth including Joost Luiten and Branden Grace.
A hat-trick of gains from the 11th moved Thomas Bjorn briefly within three of the lead before two late blemishes left the Dane 10 under, with Ian Poulter, who briefly held second spot after three early birdies, part of the group a further stroke back.
"Obviously I would have liked to be a lot closer to the top; I actually played really solid today," Grace said. "I thought today was one of the better ball-striking days in the week, just two bad wedge shots cost me a couple of shots."
