Sunday 1 February 2015 22:34, UK
Rory McIlroy cemented his reputation as the best player in the world as he cantered to his second victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
McIlroy barely needed to get out of cruise control on the final day as he compiled a thoroughly-professional two-under 70 to close on 22 under par, although a spirited late charge from Alex Noren trimmed his winning margin to three shots.
The world No 1 had his course-management in fine order, making birdies at three of the par-fives and keeping mistakes to an absolute minimum, his only blemish coming after a poor tee shot at the short seventh which cost him only his second bogey of the tournament.
McIlroy's closest challenger overnight was Morten Orum Madsen, but the Dane's hopes of applying early pressure were scuppered at the opening hole as he scrapped his way to a disastrous triple-bogey seven.
Lee Westwood emerged as the biggest threat to his Ryder Cup team-mate after he birdied three of the first five holes, but the Englishman then bogeyed the sixth and lost further ground with a double-bogey at the ninth after yanking his approach into the water.
McIlroy ignored the travails of his playing partners and birdied the third for the fourth day running, and his error at the seventh proved only a minor mishap as he completed a competent outward 35.
He consolidated his lead with well-crafted birdie-fours at both the 10th and 13th and continued to string along the pars, although he almost paid for being overly cautious at the 17th before saving par with a confident 10-foot putt.
With the luxury of a three-stroke advantage coming down the last, McIlroy laid up after missing the fairway and flipped a lob wedge into the heart of the green before safely two-putting to close out a comfortable and convincing triumph - his first at The Emirates since claiming his first professional victory in 2009.
Noren, who earned a top-10 finish with a final-day 65 at last week's Qatar Masters, started eight shots behind McIlroy and made the most significant early move with four birdies in the first six holes.
Another 65 for Noren
The Swede's momentum took a knock with a bogey at the ninth, but he got the shot straight back at the next and followed a run of four pars with three birdies over the final four holes to match his Sunday effort in Doha and snatch outright second place on 19 under par.
Stephen Gallacher arrived at The Emirates bidding to join an illustrious five-man list of players who have won the same European Tour title three years running, but the Scot had to settle for a valiant third-place finish.
The 40-year-old had left himself with too much to do after a third-round 70, but a run of three straight birdies from the 11th and another at 17 saw him post a closing 69 which lifted him to 16 under.
Martin Kaymer held the clubhouse lead on 15 under for much of the round after he carded eight birdies in a flawless, best-of-the day 64 that moved him 30 places up the leaderboard – an impressive response to his final-day disappointment in Abu Dhabi a fortnight ago.
The German shared fourth with his Abu Dhabi conqueror Gary Stal, who completed a superb Desert Swing with four birdies over the last seven holes to cap a commendable 68.
In-form Austrian Bernd Wiesberger birdied the final two holes to return a 70 and join the tie for fifth along with Andy Sullivan, who was challenging for second until he dropped shots at 15 and the last in a frustrating finish.
Madsen battled back from his first-hole nightmare, repairing the damage with birdies at the second and third and another at the ninth hauled him back to where he started the round at 16 under.
He got back to within four of McIlroy with a three at the 12th, but he could not maintain his challenge down the stretch as bogeys at 15 and 16 added up to a one-over 73.
Westwood and Graeme McDowell both handed in erratic 70s to finish a shot further adrift, while world No 2 Henrik Stenson narrowly missed out on a top-10 place after firing a solid three-birdie 69.
