Rickie Fowler wins in Abu Dhabi; Jason Dufner wins PGA event
Dressed in his trademark Sunday orange, Fowler rebounded from a double-bogey at No. 7, which helped trim his lead over a congested pack of challengers from four strokes to one, by holing out from 30 yards for eagle from a bunker at No. 8.
Fowler, who held a two-stroke lead after a third-round 65, shot a 3-under-par 69 for 16-under 272 overall.
The win was extra special for Fowler, considering Spieth (No. 1), McIlroy (No. 3) and Stenson (No. 5) were in the field — arguably the strongest the European Tour will have this year.
Spieth tied for fifth — five shots behind Fowler — after a 68 and acknowledged after his final round that he was “beat up, mentally and physically,” having played in South Korea, China, Australia, Bahamas, Hawaii and now Abu Dhabi since October.
Jason Dufner won the CareerBuilder Challenge in La Quinta (Riverside County) with a par on the second hole of a playoff, taking advantage of David Lingmerth’s shot off the rocks that bounced into the water.
Dufner escaped with a par on the island-green 17th after his tee shot bounced into sand between rocks on the hole called Alcatraz.