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ABU DHABI (AFP) — Victor Perez endured tense and dramatic closing stages of the Championship in Abu Dhabi before edging out a one-shot victory on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Frenchman holed a bunker shot in stunning fashion on the par-3 17th hole of the S Links in Abu Dhabi for a 19-under par before visiting the fairways Bunker, bogeyed on the par-5 18th hole.
Perez finished with a 6-under 66 for a total of 18 under-par 270.
Australia’s Min Woo Lee missed a par putt from less than 5 feet on the 17th hole and made bogey. His third eagle on the 18th came close and could have forced him into a playoff.
However, his ball rolled back to the pin and came to a stop very close to it. The birdie gave him a final 68 to tie for second with Sweden’s Sebastian Soderbergh (67).
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, 51, was trying to become the oldest winner on the European Tour with a solo fourth at 16 under. He started his round with a bogey, but made seven birdies in the round after that.
The win was Perez’s third in 91 starts and moved him to the top of the European Tour standings with 1,335 points. He is likely to climb from No. 117 to No. 60 in the world.
“It feels great,” said an emotional Perez. “I think you always need a little bit of luck, and there’s always a decisive shot that can make or break a game. A bunker shot on 17 could be a highlight.
“I just wanted to fly the ball all the way into the hole, and if it was a little heavy, it could release into the hole and maybe have an 8-foot par. I was expecting Sebastian to hole his birdie putt.
“In the back of my mind, I was looking at the best case scenario, maybe leading or tying going into the last hole, but I came up with a two-shot lead, which is always huge.
“The other guy’s going to have to do something great and you’re going to have to do something terrible to lose a two-stroke lead. I almost did it, but thankfully six strokes were enough.”
Italy’s Francesco Molinari (71) and Sweden’s Alex Noren (68) tied for fifth at 14 under.
The European Tour next heads to Dubai for the Dubai Desert Classic, the second Rolex Series event in as many weeks. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy plans to play at the Emirates Golf Club.
© 2023 AFP
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