KAEC, Saudi Arabia, Feb 2: Gavin Green, who flew the Asian Tour flag well all week, gave it all, including an eagle-birdie finish in a card of 70 at Saudi International. However, the four bogeys in the seven holes before that ended his hopes of a maiden triumph on the European Tour.
Green finished Tied-third with a final round of 70 and 9-under total, which he had reached at the 36-hole mark, but stayed there were 70-70 over the weekend.
Ahead of him, on a windy and tough day, the 40-year-old Graeme McDowell used all his experience and stayed patient to finish at 12-under, two shots clear of defending champion Dustin Johnson (67).
The win ended McDowell’s nearly six-year long title drought on the European Tour. His last win came at the Open de France in 2014. It was McDowell’s 11th European Tour victory and 16thoverall and they have come in 12 different countries.
“I hope this win will do for me what the Abu Dhabi win did for my friend, Shane Lowry last year. It was great of him to be there to congratulate me,” said McDowell.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar had another average day with 71 and finished at 3-over 283 and was Tied-67th. He had two birdies and three bogeys. Shubhankar Sharma missed the cut.
McDowell suffered a stumble with bogeys on ninth and 13thto fall to 10-under before he picked birdies on 14tth and 15thand came to 18thwith a three-shot cushion.
McDowell, who shared the lead with Green on the first day and was in the news on the second day when he was given a ‘bad time’ after taking 84 seconds (as against mandated 50) on his second shot on Par-4 sixth hole, ensured there were no hiccups on Sunday. Despite Johnson jumping to -10 and sole second with an eagle on 18th. It was Johnson’s second eagle of the day in his 67.
McDowell calmly putted out for par on the hole and the round, to complete a fine win and rose to inside Top-50 of the world.
Talking of the time since his last win, McDowell, who now moves into Top-50 of the world, said, “I didn’t realise it had been quite that long here in Europe. I’m very excited. I’m very relieved. This is a difficult golf course this week. It’s unusual to win feeling as uncomfortable as I did on a lot of these holes because it was a tough golf course these last two days, especially with tough conditions. The birdies on 14 and 15 were just huge at the time, and it was nice to have a that little cushion coming down the last couple.
“My big goal this year was to be back in the Top-50 in the world, back competing in the big tournaments. I’m very excited that it’s happened a little faster than I expected.”
Green, whose best has been Tied-second at Hero Indian Open in 2017, admitted, “I knew I was close and I knew I was really close, actually. I just told myself get a good score and have another good back nine, doesn’t matter what it is, just keep hitting good shots. After the short putt missed, I just lost focus a little bit. Something I can learn from and maybe I can do it next time.”
“Overall I had solid day. The finish was strong. I didn’t expect that at all. When my caddie said, just hit two good tee shots and see where that leaves us, finish strong. So I’m happy.”
American Phil Mickelson and Belgian Thomas Pieters finished in a tie for third with Green. Mickelson made a hat-trick of birdies from the second but would not make another until the last to go. He had a bogey on the 16th.
England’s Ross Fisher eagled the last to finish at seven under alongside Dubuisson, Major Champion Sergio Garcia, Mexican Abraham Ancer and Belgian Thomas Detry.
Read also:
Ryder Cup pair McDowell, Dubuisson fight for Saudi title; Green slips; Bhullar shoots 71
College roommates Perez and Green 1-2; Bhullar survives cut; Sharma misses
Sharma battles the wind to shoot 68, lies 21st, Green leads in Saudi
