Thomas Pieters took a chapter straight out of the Jack Nicklaus’ formula for winning — don’t make any mistakes down the stretch and you might just outlast those who do.
Pieters got his sixth DP World (European) Tour victory Sunday in Abu Dhabi by not making any mistakes over his final seven holes on the difficult Yas Links layout. Pieters got to 11-under par at the turn but gave it back with an untimely three-putt bogey at the par five 11th — a three-putt from just outside eight feet. But the former Ryder Cup player didn’t let that rattle him. He rattled off pars on the next six holes and stood on the 18th tee with a two-shot lead.
After a great drive, he chose to lay up for his second. “I chickened out on the last. I was going to go for it but I was told I was two ahead so I decided to lay up and I made a (par) 5 which was fine,” Pieters explained. His final margin of victory was one shot as Rafa Cabrera Bello and Shubhankar Sharma both finished with birdies to post nine-under, which proved to be a shot short of Pieters.
Pieters parred that 18th for an even-par round of 72 and became the first player from Belgium to win one of the big Rolex Series events. “I’m happy I can finally get my caddie, Adam, a gold bib (for winning a Rolex Series event),” said Pieters, who benefitted from mistakes down the stretch by both Bello and Sharma. Bello took himself out of the mix with back-to-back bogeys on 15 and 16 while Sharma bogeyed the 17th to cost himself a shot at the championship.
Viktor Hovland was in position to challenge down the stretch. He was nine-under par and just a shot behind Pieters. He reached the tough par four 15th (486 yards) in regulation but left himself in a bind with a bunker cutting in and forcing him to pitch his third from the putting surface. He played the wrong line, saw his pitch roll off the green and he’d fail to get up-and-down and walked off with a six that dropped him back to seven-under and out of the running. He did birdie 18 to get back to eight-under and tied for fifth with Victor DuBuisson of France.
Rory McIlroy Charges Then Retreats:
Rory McIlroy started like he’d make a run at the title. He was one-under through eight holes then he jarred his approach at the ninth from 141 yards for an eagle two. He made the turn in three-under for the day then added birdies at 10, 12 and 13. At that point he was eight-under for the tournament with five holes to play, giving himself a chance to make a run at victory. Alas, Rory reverted to his old ways and bogeyed 14, 17 and 18, limping in in with three-under par 69 and his five-under total tied him for 12th.
McIlroy was upbeat despite the late round collapse.
“Honestly, I am just happy that I got to play an extra two days,” McIlroy said after his round. “I had to make a birdie on the last hole on Friday night just to be here, and I almost made the most of the weekend. I played well yesterday, and really well today through 13, and then a couple of loose shots coming in cost me. It wasn’t the finish I wanted, but big-picture wise it was good to play another 36 holes and assess where everything is and know what to work on.”
Collin Morikawa Ties For 62nd:
World No. 2 Collin Morikawa was a huge disappointment all week. He recorded rounds of 73-74-71-75 — saving his worst for last. He finished five-over par, tied for 62nd. Morikawa will head back to the USA to play in this week’s Farmer’s Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
