Tommy Fleetwood produced a stunning birdie-birdie finish to hold off the challenge of Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence and win the inaugural Dubai Invitational by one shot.
The Englishman entered the final day at Dubai Creek Resort with a one-shot lead, and with Ryder Cup teammate McIlroy his nearest challenger, a mouth-watering head-to-head was in store.
While those around him produced fireworks, Fleetwood was a picture of consistency, but he dropped out of the lead for the first time with a bogey on the 16th.
He was still one back on the 18th tee after he and McIlroy both birdied the penultimate hole but as the Northern Irishman found the water and made a bogey, Fleetwood holed from 16 feet for a 67, a 19 under total and a seventh DP World Tour title.
He was still one back on the 18th tee after he and McIlroy both birdied the penultimate hole but as the Northern Irishman found the water and made a bogey, Fleetwood holed from 16 feet for a 67, a 19 under total and a seventh DP World Tour title.
South African Lawrence finished alongside McIlroy at 18 under, two clear of England’s Jordan Smith and three ahead of 2018 Open Champion Francesco Molinari.
American Sean Crocker and in-form South African Zander Lombard was at 14 under, with Dane Thorbjørn Olesen and German Yannik Paul two shots further back.
The victory is Fleetwood’s third in the United Arab Emirates after claiming two wins in Abu Dhabi and follows a second-place finish at the 2023 season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
A first win since the 2022 Nedbank Golf Challenge also moves Fleetwood to the top of the International Swing Rankings, to fourth in the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and could take him as high as 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Tommy Fleetwood: It’s great, that winning feeling is amazing, and it’s been a really cool week. Felt like I played better and better throughout the week.
Had a great day yesterday, and then today, playing with Rory and coming down the stretch in contention and trying to win a golf tournament was really, really cool. It’s been nice being back in Dubai for the start of the year.
It’s always very special when you play with one of your friends, one of the best players in the world.
Challenging yourself against those guys, like I said just before, Rory’s been a very, very supportive influence on me. I’ve watched him do amazing things down the stretch in golf tournaments, and today was my turn.
I was playing really, really well. The front nine in particular, there were times when it was frustrating. I actually putted well on the front nine, and I lipped out a couple of times with good putts that I slightly misread.
Rory played amazingly on the back nine. He played so aggressive. He made so many birdies. Especially after 16, starting on the 17th tee, it was frustrating to then all of a sudden be one behind when you’re led all day.
But happy with how I sort of trusted myself. Happy with my attitude on something that’s very important, and yeah, just the last two holes, it came down to those and to finish those birdie, birdie feels great.
Winning, it’s important. It’s a great feeling. Gives you confidence to know that you can do it the next time you’re in contention. I said it before, if I win, lose or draw today, I’ve been doing the right things for a while now and I’ve been building on a lot of consistency.
Whatever happens today is going to work out tomorrow. I’m going to do the same things and keep building and keep building and keep building, and that’s what’s important to me.
But winning, it’s important wherever you are in the world, that winning feeling. You get a sniff of that, and you keep pushing towards that. And it feels great to start the year with a win again.
Rory McIlroy: I think for the first week back out, it was a really positive week. Looking back on today, you know, a tee shot in the water with an iron on the front nine, had that three-putt from three feet on the par 3, and then the water ball on the last.
I think first week back out, I think you’re going to expect some of those sloppy mistakes, and unfortunately for me, those mistakes came at the wrong time today.
But you know, I’ll reflect on it and learn from today, and there’s still a lot of good stuff in there. But just need to tidy up some of the edges, and if I do that, I feel good going into next week.
It was a great day (playing with Tommy). It was a bit back and forth. I went three behind after ten and then made three birdies in a row on 11, 12 and 13 to get back tied for the lead.
I’m really happy for Tommy. He’s played some incredible golf over the last year without actually getting a win. So for him to get the win here, it’s great for him and it will do his confidence a world of good, and hopefully he kicks on from it.
But yeah, it was a good battle out there and hopefully I have many more with him this year and for the years ahead.
Tommy Fleetwood WITB
Qi10 LS 9.0° driver
BRNR Mini 13.5°
Qi10 18.0° 5-wood
P·7TW 3-PW
Hi Toe 3 52° wedge
TP5x pix golf ball