ABU DHABI: England’s world number 102 Tommy Fleetwood overcame swirling winds and final-hole jitters to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by one shot on Sunday.
The 25-year-old carded a five-under-par final-round 67 to clinch only the second European Tour title of his career.
He finished on 271, one shot ahead of world number three Dustin Johnson, the US Open champion who made an eagle on the last hole for a final-round 68.
Tied with him on 16 under par was Spain’s 2014 champion Pablo Larrazabal, who also shot 68.
Fleetwood was even par with a birdie and a bogey on the front nine, but chipped in an eagle from the front edge of the par-five 10th green to kick-start his charge.
“The 10th was a big turning point, really. You can quite easily chip that to six foot and miss and make five. I chipped it in and made three and birdied the next. Those two holes were the big difference,” he said.
“Some good players chasing me, so very, very proud of this. I did really just concentrate on my own game, kept going. A 31 on the back nine on a Sunday is great, no matter who you are.”
The outcome could have been different, however, after a few nerves on the 18th when Fleetwood was just one shot ahead of Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Larrazabal.
He hit a wayward tee shot next to the cart path on the left and after a lengthy discussion with the referee got a drop.
Then he hit a stunning three-wood second shot straight to the heart of the green and two-putted for birdie.
Three-time champion Martin Kaymer of Germany made an eagle at the last hole to tie Bernd Wiesberger (68) of Austria and Kiradech (69) in fourth place at 273.
Last year’s winner, Rickie Fowler of the US, shot a 72 and finished 12 shots behind the leader on five-under, while reigning British Open champion and European number one Henrik Stenson (69) was in a three-way tie for eighth place at 275.
Fleetwood is expected to move close to 50th in the world rankings when they are released on Monday.
Johnson, who is scheduled to play in Torrey Pines next week, said he was happy with the state of his game.
“All in all it was a solid day. It was windy out there. It is playing a little bit tougher today. I felt like I struck the ball well and gave myself plenty of opportunities. I just did not roll any putts in,” he said.
Larrazabal, who was playing with Johnson in the leader group, made several long putts and kept himself in the hunt. He needed an eagle on the last to force a playoff, but could only manage a birdie.
“I gave it my best. I never give up. I did not play my best but I tried my best, holding some putts, chipping in on the 14th. Three bogeys on Sunday afternoon are too many. But I am very proud the way I played.”
The Desert Swing of the European Tour moves next to Doha for the Qatar Masters from Jan. 26-29.
Fleetwood wins Abu Dhabi championship
Fleetwood wins Abu Dhabi championship
Freddy Schott wins maiden title after 3-way Bahrain Championship playoff
- The German beat Calum Hill and Patrick Reed after they all finished on 17-under after 72 holes
BAHRAIN: Freddy Schott won his first DP World Tour title after beating Calum Hill and Patrick Reed in a playoff at the 2026 Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on Sunday.
The trio were locked together at 17-under par after 72 holes. This was after Reed shot 67 on Sunday to make up a four-shot overnight deficit to Hill, who began day two clear but had to settle for a 71 after a bogey. Schott carded 69 to join the pair.
Reed bogeyed the first playoff hole to drop out of contention and after Hill went out of bounds second time round, before sending his fourth shot into the water, he sportingly conceded without making Schott putt for the win.
Schott, who was presented with the trophy by Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, said: “I have no idea. It’s just amazing, I’m just extremely happy, surprised ... I don’t know what’s happening right now. I’m just so happy.
“I could have done it the regular way, that would have also been fine. But to do it this way feels even more special so I’m just glad it happened this way.”
Hill, who equaled the course record of 61 in Friday’s second round, added to his two-shot overnight lead with an opening birdie after a superb approach, with Schott responding at the second before both players birdied the next.
The Scot was four clear after another gain at the fifth but bogeyed the sixth while Schott made birdie, cutting the lead to one before drawing level with a birdie at the next.
Schott bogeyed the eighth but led anyway as Hill made a double, and a birdie at the 10th took the German two ahead, only for a double-bogey of his own at the 11th to leave the pair all square again.
“It was tough, especially towards the end,” said Schott.
“The start was okay, because I was playing alright. It had good flow to it. Obviously, nerves kicked in from the back nine onwards. I was happy that I managed it okay, not perfect, but okay, and you guys saw what happened, so I’m very happy now.
Sergio Garcia had joined the leaders by that point after responding to an opening bogey with three birdies in four holes from the third and another three in succession from the ninth, as had Reed after his fifth gain of the day at the 12th.
Daniel Hillier carded six birdies in a blemish-free 66, his second six-under-par round of the week, to set the clubhouse target at 16-under as the leaders still on the course battled for supremacy.
Schott, Hill and Reed all reached 18-under with back-to-back birdies, Reed at the 13th and 14th with his rivals a hole behind.
Garcia’s challenge was left hanging by a thread after a double-bogey at the par-five 14th, as he eventually finished alongside Hillier on 16-under, and Reed dropped a shot at the 16th.
Schott and Hill missed the 17th green to the left before escaping with good chips, but while Hill holed his par putt, Schott made bogey.
Reed set a new clubhouse target of 17-under but when his birdie putt at the last agonizingly stayed up on the short side, Hill had a one-shot lead down the last.
But he sent his approach to the extreme left of the green, leaving a nasty putt up the slope by the side of the green which he was unable to get close. Schott was in similar territory but closer in, allowing him to save par while Hill made bogey to set up the playoff.
Reed found the bunker with his 73rd tee shot and went from there to the edge of another, with Schott and Hill both hitting the fairway and then the heart of the green.
Schott holed for par and despite a superb effort at his up-and-down, Reed was unable to respond and dropped out of contention. Hill held his nerve as he and Schott went back to the tee.
The Scot sent his next tee-shot out of bounds to the left, with Schott only just avoiding the water in response. He sent his approach right of the green but Hill found the water with his fourth and conceded after Schott chipped on.
Hill and Reed shared second with Garcia and Hillier fourth and France’s Ugo Coussaud a shot further back in sixth.
The championship provided invaluable experience for emerging golfers, with local players gaining exposure competing alongside Major champions and multiple DP World Tour winners.
Ahmed Alzayed, Ali Alkowari and Khalifa Almaraisi all teed it up at Royal Golf Club this week, with former Masters champions Garcia and Reed, and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington.
While the cut proved elusive, the experience of competing at the highest level of professional golf will prove invaluable.
“The competition comes to an end, but it’s not the end for me, I think it’s just the beginning,” said Alkowari.
“I’m happy with the result this year. I played 20 shots better than last year, so there are improvements. Hopefully, if I’m playing next year, it will be even better. Who knows, maybe even making the cut.”
A record crowd of 13,186, a 30 percent increase on last year’s attendance, watched the action across the four days.
