Sunday was a huge day in Dubai for the young and the older side of the European Tour.
First, Matthew Fitzpatrick showed the nerves of the 22-year-old that he is and calmly nailed a four-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to win the DP World Tour Championship and the $1.33 million that went with it.
Second, Henrik Stenson, showed his veteran moxie and closed with a seven-under par 65 that sewed up a second overall win in the Race To Dubai. Stenson finished in a tie for ninth and easily outdistanced Danny Willett, Alex Noren, Tyrrell Hatton and Rory McIlroy, who finished behind him in that order.
The final round belonged to Fitzpatrick, who came to the final hole tied at 16-under par with Tyrrell Hatton. Hatton holed a bunker shot for a miracle par at the 17th but faltered with a costly bogey at 18 that dropped him out of the solo lead and into a tie with Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick faced a long greenside bunker shot for his third at the 18th and got it within the nervous four-foot range to win the tournament. The former U.S. Amateur champion holed it, no problem to shoot a final round 67 that got him to 17-under par.
“It means the world. To win one of these Final Series events is really special,” said Fitzpatrick, who won for the second time this season, his second on tour.
