Sunday 7 February 2016 17:21, UK
Danny Willett sank a final-hole birdie to snatch a one-shot victory after a dramatic final round at the Dubai Desert Classic.
Willett saw a three-shot advantage disappear over the closing holes at Emirates GC, but a 15-foot gain at the last secured the Englishman his first win of the season.
A three-under 69 left Willett one clear of Andy Sullivan and Rafa Cabrera-Bello, with world No 2 Rory McIlroy finishing four strokes back after a strong finish to a frustrating week.
Taking a one-shot lead in to the final round, Willett slipped back alongside midway pacesetter Cabrera-Bello with a blemish at the second but quickly moved three clear with three birdies in a four-hole stretch.
A missed par save from eighth feet at the ninth saw Willett's lead cut to one, as Sullivan rolled in his fourth birdie of the day to move in to second spot, but he was able to double his cushion by holing a five-footer at the tricky 12th.
Willett restored his three-shot advantage with a birdie at the par-five 13th, as playing partner Cabrera-Bello recovered from driving into the trees to pick up a shot and also get to 16 under.
Momentum changed again when Sullivan birdied the 15th and produced a superb up and down to save par from 20 feet at the next, while a three-putt bogey from Willett at the 14th closed the gap back to one.
Cabrera-Bello got to within a shot of the lead with a close-range birdie at the 17th, before Sullivan moved in to a share of the lead by closing a four-under 68 with a ten-footer at the last.
As Willett missed the 18th fairway and was forced to lay up, Cabrera-Bello found the green in two and two-putted from off the green to temporarily make it a three-way tie for the lead.
But Willett held his nerve to pitch to 15 feet and sink the birdie putt needed to claim fourth European Tour title, which will parachute him to a new career-high in the world rankings.
A bogey-free 65 from Byeong Hun An saw the BMW PGA Championship winner end the week in a tie for fourth alongside Alvaro Quiros, with McIlroy alongside Henrik Stenson a further stroke back.
"I have to say that I'm very happy today," Quiros said. "The last two rounds were great. The putting level has been unbelievable too and the most important thing was the proper fight that I had with the course."
Five birdies from his final six holes helped Tyrrell Hatton to a six-under 66 and part of an eight-way tie for eighth, as one-time tournament leader Ernie Els finished the week seven off the pace.
