In what is the busiest time of the golfing year in the Middle East, we preview the DP World Tour’s five-week swing of events which span across Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Bahrain and Qatar – spearheaded by the 35th edition of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, and an exclusive interview with the current Champion Golfer of the Year, Brian Harman. We get to know more about the journey of UAE National Player, Joshua Grenville-Wood, and Amy Condon, the only female professional in Abu Dhabi who is growing the women’s game. A catch-up with eGolf Megastore, as they are expanding their stores in the region and Club Lab Golf shows us what goes into getting your clubs fitted and built.

All this and much, much more in the January 2024 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

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So, forgive McIlroy (or not) for letting off a little steam when someone pitched him a slow softball Saturday on X (formerly Twitter). In a discussion referencing McIlroy’s Ryder Cup concern, golf data guru Lou Stagner, of Arccos, posted, “I wonder if @McIlroyRory also wants to change the rules so Stenson can captain the team?”

The query—in reference to Henrik Stenson being stripped of his captaincy for the 2023 matches because he joined LIV in 2022—was likely facetious and probably rhetorical. But McIlroy, being the avid reader he is, saw the comment and responded on Saturday by taking a shot at the Swede.

“The best thing to happen to the 2023 Euro Ryder cup [sic] team was Henrik going to LIV!” McIlroy said.

A sly joke or a not-so-subtle dig? Who knows, but it helps McIlroy’s case that the Europeans blasted the Americans 16½-11½ at Marco Simone in Italy with Luke Donald at the helm for the winning side. And, in fact, the Englishman was so well-regarded for how he handle the team that he’d been tabbed to return as the captain the for 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

I wonder if @McIlroyRory also wants to change the rules so Stenson can captain the team? https://t.co/d0wpP94KqX

— Lou Stagner (Golf Stat Pro) (@LouStagner) December 9, 2023

Stenson, of course, was disappointed to lose his captaincy, though the five-time Ryder Cup player had to know that he was taking that chance when he signed with LIV.

“I’m just disappointed that with everything that came out because there was a big willingness on my part to sit down and talk long before this thing got to where it got to,” Stenson said in an interview after the final round of this year’s Open Championship. “There were certain people, without naming names, that didn’t want to sit down and take those meetings. As a consequence, I feel like we ended up in all of this that could have been avoided. But we live, and we learn.”

Stenson reportedly got a $50 million contract from LIV and two weeks after he was removed as Ryder Cup captain, he won his LIV debut at Trump Bedminster to claim the $4 million first prize. In 13 events this past season, Stenson notched three top-10s.

Image: Christian Petersen

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Suffice it to say, Rahm’s Thursday announcement changes the calculus on many, many things, some big and some small. That became evident within hours of Rahm’s appearance in his LIV bomber jacket on Fox News.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Rory McIlroy, who just a few weeks earlier confidently predicted Rahm was going to stay with the PGA Tour, explained he felt no ill will toward Rahm for leaving: “I’m going to miss competing against him week in and week out. He has got so much talent, he’s so tenacious and he’s a great teammate in the Ryder Cup. The thing that I’ve realised is that you can’t judge someone for making a decision that they feel is the best thing for them.’’

McIlroy’s reference to the Ryder Cup became even more notable when addressing whether Rahm’s defection to LIV would impact his ability to play for Europe in the future. Most LIV golfers from the continent dropped their DP World Tour membership, and thus were ineligible to compete at Marco Simone in September. At the time, McIlroy noted that the logistics made sense and that LIV players had to understand the possibility of being shut out of the team, going so far as to say: “They’re going to miss being here [Rome] more than we’re missing them.”

But with Rahm’s decision, McIlroy took a new posture. “Jon is going to be in Bethpage in 2025 so, because of this decision, the European Tour (DP World Tour) are going to have to rewrite the rules for the Ryder Cup eligibility,’’ McIlroy told Sky. “There’s absolutely no question about that … I certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team.”

Rory McIlroy’s thoughts on Jon Rahm signing up to LIV pic.twitter.com/RsfkbFs7Mp

— Jamie Weir (@jamiecweir) December 8, 2023

The about face from McIlroy on the issue was something that was noted by commenters on social media.

Rory’s singing a different tune now that it’s Rahm. Didn’t hear this kind of chat from him about the others who joined LIV. “They are going to miss being here (Rome) more than we’re missing them.” https://t.co/PVhu0KowvU

— Tom English (@TEnglishSport) December 8, 2023

To which, McIlroy owned up to his changed viewpoint.

Rory’s singing a different tune now that it’s Rahm. Didn’t hear this kind of chat from him about the others who joined LIV. “They are going to miss being here (Rome) more than we’re missing them.” https://t.co/PVhu0KowvU

— Tom English (@TEnglishSport) December 8, 2023

Indeed, Rahm’s jump to LIV is going to change a lot of people’s thinking about a lot of things.

Image: Jamie Squire

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The rollback would be implemented for golfers of all levels in 2030—different than the bifurcated proposal those governing bodies put forward earlier this year. The USGA and R&A predict a 10-15 yards decrease for golf’s longest hitters, down to 1-5 yards for amateurs.

We have finalized the next step in our years-long effort to address consistent increases in hitting distance and golf’s sustainability.

These changes to the Overall Distance Standard will take effect in January 2028.

— USGA (@USGA) December 6, 2023

Naturally, the rule change caused an eruption from golfers on all sides. Let’s break down some of the most noteworthy reactions.

Bridgestone Golf

Golf ball maker Bridgestone Golf issued a statement effectively saying they don’t like it, but they accept it and are moving on.

Bridgestone Golf statement regarding USGA/R&A distance roll back announcement: pic.twitter.com/L290S6nJtX

— Bridgestone Golf (@bridgestonegolf) December 6, 2023

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy has been outspoken in support of his rollback. After a tweet over the weekend, McIlroy joined Sky Sports on Wednesday morning to support the official proposal, saying that it’ll lead to a more “skilled” game.

"I think this change will make the game more skilful again" ?

World number two golfer Rory McIlroy has backed the new changes to rules regarding golf ball specifications which will see a reduce in distance they travel ?️? pic.twitter.com/XamHvgVhBA

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 6, 2023

TaylorMade Golf

McIlroy’s sponsor, TaylorMade Golf, released a statement on the rollback, expressing opposition but acceptance. On Golf Channel, the company’s CEO David Abeles said: “This decision has been made, and we will move forward.”

PGA Tour

The PGA Tour, with a vast majority of players being against the decision, released a statement questioning the specifics of the new testing protocols, saying they aren’t representative of on-course speeds.

Callaway Golf

Callaway Golf carved out a unique position, expressing disappointment that the USGA moved away from a bifurcated proposal.

PGA of America

The PGA of America released a statement praising the delayed timeline of implementing the new rule, but expressing concerns over a “greater reduction of distance than we would advise” for recreational players.

We appreciate that the USGA and R&A ran a collaborative and patient process over the past several years. We are particularly gratified that they heard our concerns regarding the significant operational challenges bifurcation would have presented and are no longer considering a local rule regarding the ball for elite players. We are also pleased that the proposed change to the ball has been delayed until 2028 for elite players and 2030 for recreational golfers. Given the important role our nearly 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals play in the recreational game, having more time to adjust to the new rule is helpful. We remain opposed to any change that may potentially lessen the enjoyment of the game for recreational golfers or diminish the unprecedented momentum the game is enjoying. It appears recreational golfers will see a greater reduction in distance than we would advise. While this decrease has been lessened, we continue to recommend being more moderate on the swing speed change for the golf ball conformance test. At this time, we continue to have concerns and look forward to continuing this important conversation and finding resolution with all of our golf industry partners.

USGA and R&A CEOs Mike Whan and Martin Slumbers

Defending their own proposal on Golf Channel, Slumbers said that the move was designed to “protect the long-term health and sustainability of the game…with the environmental concerns,” while Whan punched back against some of the proposal’s critics:

“There’s gonna be a lot of ambulance chasers and alarmists that are gonna make this thing seem so much worse than it really is. … I don’t want a few loud voices that are trying to get more clicks and more viewers and more phone calls to drive a frenzy that quite frankly isn’t based in fact.”

.@RandA and @USGA CEOs Martin Slumbers and Mike Whan detail what the universal golf ball rollback announcement means for players of all levels.

?: @GolfCentral breaking news coverage live now on Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/remf2OX3Q2

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) December 6, 2023

Main image: Mike Ehrmann

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So the six-time PGA Tour winner already has some practical experience with what the USGA and R&A might be getting ready to do. Citing industry sources, Golf Digest reported Friday that golf’s governing bodies are expected to announce next week a rule change that would universally roll back golf ball distances. The expected rule change comes after a three-year “Notice and Comment” period with equipment manufacturers and other golf organisations, including the PGA Tour.

It is expected that a new standard for testing the conformity of golf balls would be introduced for elite players and competitions in 2028 and then for recreational players in 2030.

“Srixon made whatever the USGA was saying, and it was 40, 50 yards [shorter] with my driver,” Bradley, 37, said Saturday at the Hero World Challenge. “I was a club or two shorter. I think that the USGA … everything that they do is reactionary. They don’t think of a solution. They just think we’re going to affect a hundred percent of the population that plays golf. For the amateur world to hit the ball shorter is monstrous. I can’t think of anything more stupid than that. I don’t think it’s very smart at all, especially when golf’s growing in popularity literally coming out of COVID.”

Among players who were asked about the potential rule change at the Hero World Challenge, no one thought a universal roll back was a good idea. And only tournament host Tiger Woods thinks it would be the right thing to do in the professional game. He and World No. 2 Rory McIlroy have been the biggest proponents of reigning in the ball at the elite level.

“We’ve been hammering the ball needs to slow down,” Woods, 47, said after a third-round one-under 71 at Albany, “but it has kept speeding up my entire time on tour and here we are. I’ve always been for bifurcation. I’ve always said that. Just like wood bats and metal bats [in baseball].”

On Sunday morning, Rory McIlroy took to X (formerly Twitter) with a passionate case for the rollback and against its critics.

I don’t understand the anger about the golf ball roll back. It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability. It will also help bring back certain skills in the pro game that have been eradicated over the past 2 decades.…

— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) December 3, 2023

Former U.S. Open champion Justin Rose was surprised to hear that the governing bodies were considering an across-the-board change for amateurs as well as professionals.

“I think the way I saw it going was the tour doing one thing [with a model local rule] and maybe major championships doing another. And that puts a lot of pressure on the tour,” Rose, 43, of England, said. “Now if recreational golf is rolling back, too, it doesn’t make sense for the tour to stay where we were. Because I think if the amateurs were going to continue to stay where they were, the tour, were going to say, ‘OK, we’re going to stay where we are because we want the fan to be able to relate to the tour player.’ That made sense to me. And then obviously if there was a ball for a major championship then so be it, we’d have to learn how to adapt. So that’s the way I would’ve hedged it going. Now it’s even a weirder situation. The amateurs are playing the ball that’s slower than what we’re playing on tour. That doesn’t feel right either.”

Rickie Fowler is not a fan of the ruling bodies making any change to the ball at any level. “There are other ways of going about this,” he said, adding that they are “20 years too late” on the issue.

But he is especially opposed to a shorter ball for recreational players. “To take the game and knock it back when it’s in the best position it’s ever been in, I don’t want to see it as the golf ball being necessarily the right move,” Fowler added. “I don’t see how when we’re at the best place the game has ever been. ‘Oh, you love the game? Yeah. Hey, thanks for joining us over COVID. Now we’re going to make you hit it 20 yards shorter. Have fun.’ I understand both sides. But looking at it as far as the game and everyone talks about growing the game, I think it’s going to be a huge step back.”

Bradley, who already had to adjust his game to a change in equipment rules several years ago when the governing bodies prohibiting an anchored putting stroke, wonders how he and his peers will be forced to adjust their games further.

“I don’t know what the ramifications are going to be with the ball—what they’re going to do, what direction they going to go,” he said. “It would have to be a complete overhaul of the equipment that I use, the shafts that I use. Yeah, I mean the amount of change that’s happened just in the course of my career is insane.

“I think we constantly get penalised for mistakes they [USGA and R&A] make. Whether if they let the ball go too far, that’s not our problem. They [are doing this] to punish not only the professional golfers, but the world of golf for something that they screwed up on. I really think it’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard of.”

Image: David Cannon

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Rickie Folwer delves deep, with his coach Butch Harmon, into how he found his swing again. Have a big rundown of everything that happened at the DP World Tour Championship where Rory McIlroy and Nicolai Højgaard both came away with silverware. We have prepped the ultimate golfers trip to Ireland, which includes three of the best championship golf courses on the Emerald Isle. If you are looking at getting fitted for a new set of golf clubs, Club Lab Golf in JLT is the newest state-of-the-art facility in Dubai. LIV Golf is landing in Abu Dhabi with some big names lined up and we grab an exclusive ‘Quick 9’ with The Godfather of Dubai Duty Free, Colm McLoughlin.

All this and much, much more in the December 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

The post Get the December 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here today! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The ex-professional caddy won the 36-hole Dubai Creek Seniors Open at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, soon to be host on the DP World Tour for the Dubai Invitational.

Fitzgerald, who had previously been on the bag with Rory McIlroy for his first professional win, his four major championships and his FedEx Cup victory in 2016, is estimated to have earned around €7 million career earnings.

Other names he worked for include Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Matthew Wolff and most recently Victor Perez.

Adding to the high profile names playing in the Dubai Creek Seniors Open, was former Premier League and Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, who claimed nearest the pin on the 4th hole on day one of the 36-hole tournament.

In the net category of the event, Shankar Balasubramian took third place with a score of -3 (71, 68). Sergio De Souza claimed the runner-up spot with an impressive -5 (71, 66). While Alexey Leshchenko emerged as the net winner with his score of -7 (68, 67).

The gross category also showcased decent scoring. Michael Nielson secured third with a score of +5 (76, 71). Mark Williams took second with a +2 (69, 75). While no stranger to the limelight, John-Paul (JP) Fitzerald emerging triumphant as the 2023 champion, boasting a score of -3 (71, 68). 

After the prize giving, Trisha Kumar, Assistant Golf Services Manager said, “Congratulations to all of our winners today and to John-Paul Fitzgerald for prevailing today! We look forward to seeing you all back soon!”

Image: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

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McIlroy, 34, had two worldwide wins in 2023 and scored a team-best four points for the Europeans en route to victory at the Ryder Cup. The Ulsterman continued to be the de facto face of the tour in its battle against LIV Golf, a position he acknowledged made him feel like a “sacrificial lamb” following announcement of the tour’s surprise framework agreement with LIV’s backer, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, in June. The PIP news comes a week after McIlroy resigned his post from the PGA Tour’s policy board and two days after TGL—the tech-inflused golf league he formed with Tiger Woods—announced it was delaying its launch by a year.

The PIP is a bonus pool that was instituted in 2021 to reward players who boosted engagement and publicity for the tour. Ostensibly a response to some of the lucrative deals rumored to be coming from the then-Premier Golf League, the inaugural program somewhat backfired; five of the 10 winners in 2021—Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bubba Watson—ultimately left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. However, improvements to the PIP were announced at this last year’s Tour Championship to broaden its scope. After spreading out $40 million to those on last year’s list, the 2022 and 2023 PIP pools were increased to $100 million in payouts, with 20 players earning rewards.

The tour uses a number of measurements for putting together the list: Internet searches, the number of unique news articles that include a player’s name, duration that a player’s sponsor logos appeared on screen during Saturday and Sunday PGA Tour telecasts, a player’s general awareness score among broad U.S. population, and social media score that considers a player’s reach, conversation and engagement metrics. Along with Google Search, Meltwater and Nielsen measurements, the 2023 list added general population and fan awareness criteria.

Any player eligible for PIP payments must fulfill three additional requirements to be paid in full. They include: 1) Play in a mutually agreed-upon PIP Designated tournament; 2) Participate in a mutually agreed-upon PIP service event; 3) Fulfill the Mandatory Participation Requirement as outlined in the PGA Tour Tournament Regulations handbook. Players will receive PIP payments in two installments. The first 75 percent will be paid with the Sentry (formerly known as the Tournament of Champions) purse payment, and the remaining 25 percent will be paid once a player completes the three obligations.

Woods, who won the first two PIP bonus pools, finished second in this year’s ranking. Woods played just events in 2023 and hasn’t competed since withdrawing from the Masters. Woods, who underwent ankle surgery just weeks after his Augusta National appearance, is scheduled to return at his Hero World Challenge exhibition next week.

Below is the list of PIP winners, along with their bonus for making the list:

1: Rory McIlroy, $15 million

2: Tiger Woods, $12 million

3: Jon Rahm, $9 million

4: Jordan Spieth, $7.5 million

5: Scottie Scheffler, $6 million

6: Rickie Fowler, $5 million

7: Viktor Hovland, $5 million

8: Justin Thomas, $5 million

9: Tommy Fleetwood, $5 million

10: Max Homa, $5 million

11: Xander Schauffele, $3 million

12: Jason Day, $3 million

13: Tony Finau, $3 million

14: Collin Morikawa, $3 million

15: Matt Fitzpatrick, $3 million

16: Wyndham Clark, $2 million

17: Cameron Young, $2 million

18: Justin Rose, $2 million

19: Patrick Cantlay, $2 million

20: Brian Harman, $2 million

Image: Andrew Redington

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Last week the air-supported dome of TGL’s SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. collapsed due to what TGL officials cite as a power failure. “At this time, while we assess the damage, it is too early to determine the impact on our timelines,” a TGL spokesperson said in a statement. “There were no injuries, and no technology was impacted. Other work on site is continuing.”

However, the league is now expected to be pushed back to 2025. According to Sports Business Journal, postponing the league’s launch just by weeks or months was not an option, as ESPN—which is set to present the league on its networks—could not adjust to the shift in schedule for its broadcast windows.

“Following discussions with key partners, including players, our six team ownership groups, PGA Tour leadership and our commercial partners, SoFi, ESPN and Palm Beach State College, the decision has been made to postpone the start of the TGL season until early 2025,” a TGL spokesperson said on Monday. “This decision came after reviewing short-term solutions, potential construction timelines, player schedules, and the primetime sports television calendar. Despite this new timeline for the venue, we remain excited about the future of TGL and will continue to build excitement between now and the start of the season with our players, fans and teams. We have begun to update plans and timelines and are confident that the extension will only improve our delivery.”

The six-team league was set to begin play on Jan. 9. TGL previously provided details on the SoFi Center, which will be 250,000 square feet and accommodate about 2,000 spectators. The air-supported dome will be 75 feet high and covers the entire playing surface of 97 yards by 50 yards. TGL matches will feature two teams of three players each—in advance of each match, the teams will designate three active players—competing in both alternate-shot and singles sessions in a weekly competition. The alternate-shot session is a three-on-three contest over nine holes followed by six holes of singles in which each player plays two holes in head-to-head competition. The matches are supposed to fit into a two-hour broadcast window.

“I’ve been a believer in TGL, and as the momentum has built this past year, I’m even more excited about what this can become for fans of the game all around the world,” Tiger Woods said in a statement. “Although the events of last week will force us to make adjustments to our timelines, I’m fully confident that this concept will be brought to life by our great committed players.”

Added McIlroy: “The postponement brings mixed feelings of disappointment and excitement. Above all, we are happy that no one was injured. We are looking forward to the launch of TGL. Given the circumstances, while the delay is disappointing, the postponement will allow us to regroup, refocus and return stronger.”

The 24 players who originally committed to compete in the inaugural season were Woods, McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Shauffele, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Tommy Fleetwood, Billy Horschel, Shane Lowry, Tyrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Keegan Bradley, Sahith Theegala, Wyndham Clark, Lucas Glover, Kevin Kisner, Min Woo Lee, Cameron Young and Tom Kim. However, Jon Rahm ultimately decided to drop out citing scheduling concerns.

Sources tell Golf Digest the league is targeting a similar January timeline for launch in 2025.

Image: Getty Images

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While even before the first tee shot had been hit, Rory McIlroy had sewn up the 2023 Race to Dubai with a week to spare in a season that has seen him win two Rolex Series events, secure three top tens in Major Championships and miss just one cut on the DP World Tour.

Højgaard had led after days one and two at Jumeirah Golf Estates but entered the final round three shots off the pace before pulling himself right into contention with a front nine of 33.

He was back on top with a gain on the tenth and then reeled off five birdies in a row from the 13th to get to 21 under and hold off the challenge of his Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland and overnight leader Matt Wallace.

Fleetwood and Hovland signed for a pair of 68s, one shot less than Wallace, to sit two ahead of defending champion Jon Rahm, South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon.

Højgaard finished fourth over the Earth Course in his only previous appearance at this event in 2021, catapulting himself into the top ten on that season’s final Rankings and he will finish 2023 second behind Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy.

Ryder Cup rookie Nicolai Højgaard wins the DP World Tour Championship! ???#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/y52cIzvce4

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 19, 2023

While becoming an international player and starting his career on the PGA TOUR this year, he recorded seven DP World Tour top tens to earn his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, winning half a point as Luke Donald’s men defeated the United States.

He added to that tally by finishing second at last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge and brought that form to Dubai, where he is now a three-time DP World Tour champion and enters the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.

“It means a lot, it’s the sweetest one,” he said.

“So much hard work has been put in over the past couple of years – it feels amazing, this is for family and everything they put in over the years. So much hard work going into this, for it to happen like this is unbelievable.

“We know there are a lot of birdies but we have to hit the shots and hole the putts, anything can happen we were just focused on the job today, to walk up 18 knowing there’s a good chance feels good.

“I played some really good golf. I have to say this is the best golf I’ve played in a tournament and the strongest field in my three wins. My game feels good, I felt good before going out and to finish it like this feels good.

“This is the sweetest way to finish the year, I cant believe we finished on such a high note, I’m definitely going to enjoy this.”

England’s Fleetwood joined the lead from ten feet at the first and it was soon a three-way tie as Hovland got up and down from the sand on the par-five second.

A monster 40-foot eagle putt on the same hole handed Fleetwood a two-shot lead but he bogeyed the fourth after finding sand off the tee and soon had company at 17 under.

Wallace made a 40-footer of his own on the sixth and ahead at the par-five seventh Hovland made a two-putt birdie before hitting the front on his own from five feet on the eighth.

The Norwegian failed to find the green in two at the next and the resulting bogey left the door open for Højgaard to join the lead.

The 22-year-old had made a two-putt gain on the fourth, holed a long putt at the fifth and hit a beautiful tee-shot into the next before putting an approach to five feet at the tenth.

Fleetwood found another gear after the turn, however, putting a pitch inside five feet on the tenth and a brilliant second to two feet at the next to move two ahead.

Højgaard had dropped a shot on the 12th but he put his tee-shot at the par-three 13th inside ten feet and then found the green at the par-five 14th in two to trim the gap to one.

Hovland also took advantage of the 14th with two putts but Højgaard was relentless, pitching from the first cut to seven feet for three birdies in a row and a share of the lead.

Nicolai Højgaard, currently tied for the lead, reaches 190mph ball speed drive at 16! ?#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/P5EucBPN2B

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 19, 2023

Another beautiful approach to four feet at the 16th edged him ahead but Fleetwood holed a brilliant, curling 15-foot right-to-lefter on the 15th, only to see Højgaard make a fifth birdie in a row on the 17th after a tee-shot to four feet.

He missed a chance from four feet for six in a row but a Fleetwood three-putt on the 17th meant the he, Wallace and Hovland needed eagles up the last to force a play-off, a feat none of them could achieve.

Hovland added a further birdie at the 16th before parring the last after finding water, while Englishman Wallace had dropped a shot on the seventh and reeled off six pars in a row before birdies at the 14th, 15th and 17th sent him back up the leaderboard.

Spaniard Rahm and Lawrence both carded rounds of 66, with Pavon signing for a 67 to sit at 17 under, one shot clear of another Frenchman in Victor Perez and two ahead of Scot Ewen Ferguson and Dane Jeff Winther.

Image: David Cannon

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