TOMMY Fleetwood has a Masters debut in his sights after a brilliant burst of scoring helped secure his second European Tour title in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The Englishman carded a closing 67 to finish 17 under par, a shot ahead of US Open champion Dustin Johnson – who eagled the last – and Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal. Three-time winner Martin Kaymer also eagled the 18th to finish in a tie for fourth with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger on 15 under.
Elsewhere in the field, Scott Jamieson was the top-ranked Scot, finishing on five under for a share of 36th place. Compatriot Marc Warren claimed a share of 49th spot, with David Drysdale and Richie Ramsay further back to share 57th.
Fleetwood has now soared from 102nd in the world rankings to just outside the top 50 as a result of his triumph, with the top 50 players on March 27 earning an invite to the first major of the year at Augusta National.
The 26-year-old was still a lowly 188th in the rankings at the start of September, but has reaped the rewards of returning to his former coach Alan Thompson and employing his friend Ian Finnis as his caddie.
“I thought maybe my second win would come sooner to be honest,” said Fleetwood, who won the Johnnie Walker Championship in 2013. “I had a really hard time from July 2015 to July last year where I really struggled with my game. It’s been an awkward curve and massive comeback.
“I kept thinking: ‘You keep knocking on the door, it will come’. I didn’t think it would be this week. I’ve made the cut here once in five years so it just shows that makes no sense at all.”
Fleetwood began the day a shot off the lead and got off to a poor start with a bogey on the third, but then birdied the eighth, chipped in for an eagle on the 10th and birdied the 11th.
And despite a wild drive on the last which hit a spectator, he ensured the win with a three wood onto the green to set up a two-putt birdie.
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