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November 19, 2018

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Molinari wins Race to Dubai as Willett soars

Danny Willett ended his title drought in thrilling fashion, winning the DP World Tour Championship by two shots despite a last-hole blunder yesterday.

It was the 31-year-old Englishman’s first victory since the 2016 Masters, secured with a final-round 4-under-par 68 for an 18-under total of 270.

Francesco Molinari finished in joint 26th place at the Jumeirah Golf Estates to win the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.

Molinari, winner of the Open Championship and the BMW PGA Championship this year, secured the title when his closest rival and close friend Tommy Fleetwood failed to win the tournament.

Willett held a two-shot lead on the 18th tee after making a birdie on the 17th, but pushed his tee shot slightly into the bank of a creek that divides the 18th fairway, and then hit a brave second shot from the rocks before making par.

England’s Matt Wallace (68) and American Patrick Reed (70) were joint runners-up at 16-under 272.

Starting the day at 14-under, Willett edged ahead of the field with an eagle on the second and never gave up the advantage. Reed, the joint overnight leader, could not find a birdie until the 10th hole and made two bogeys on the front nine to take the pressure off his playing partner.

Bogeys on the 10th and 12th holes opened the door for his rivals, but Willett steadied the nerves and bounced back with three birdies in four holes starting on the 14th.

“We got off to a flying start and everything seemed rosy in the camp. Then obviously there was a blip there down 10 and 12. I am very proud of how I handled that and how I handled myself emotionally after that,” said Willett, who has battled a long-running back injury.

“Winning’s a rarity on tour, really. I’m pleased to have won the tournaments that I’ve won over the last few years. But this, coming back after everything that’s happened, is going to go down in the history books for myself as one of the most pleasing.”

Molinari finished his round and even though it was evident that England’s Fleetwood wasn’t going to win the tournament, he spoke to the media only after Dylan Frittelli posted a score better than Fleetwood’s.

“It means a lot. You look at the players who have won the Race to Dubai or the Order of Merit before that, and obviously it’s only really the top players that have done it,” said the 36-year-old Italian.

“I never thought something like this would happen to me to be honest, and now it’s going to be a challenge to reset before next year and work as hard as I did the past winter and try to reproduce the same golf.”

India’s Shubhankar Sharma, a two-time champion this season, won the Rookie of the Year honor by finishing 28th in the Race to Dubai.

In Sydney, Abraham Ancer went into the final round of the Australian Open with a five-stroke lead. With a few ups and downs along the way, he won it by the same margin.

The Mexican golfer, making his first trip to Australia, shot a final-round 69 yesterday to finish with a 16-under total of 272 at The Lakes.

Another major prize for Ancer’s win is a trip to next year’s British Open at Royal Portrush for finishing among the top three at the Australian Open who weren’t already exempt.

His lead was reduced to four strokes a few times. But Ancer’s shot of the day came on the fourth hole where he hit his pitch shot from just off the green well left of the flag, then watched it hit a slope and roll back down to finish in the hole for a birdie. He thrust both arms up in the air in celebration.

“It’s been crazy,” Ancer said. “This win is all for my family. They’ve been there every single day of my life pushing me, for Mexican golf as well.”

Australian Dimitrios Papadatos (67) also qualified for the British Open after finishing in second. His compatriot Jake McLeod, who shot a 66 for the low round of the day yesterday, finished third to also qualify for the Northern Ireland tournament next year.

Matt Kuchar and US compatriot Keegan Bradley finished well off the pace with final-round 75s after being among the leaders for three rounds.

Kuchar will head to Melbourne this week for the World Cup of Golf to partner Kyle Stanley for the Americans.




 

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