Advertisement

Rock tops big names, wins in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Robert Rock held off a series of major-tournament champions Sunday and won the European Tour's Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

Rock, despite three final-round bogeys, shot 2-under-par 70 for a 72-hole total of 13-under 275. It is his second European Tour victory with the other coming last June in the Italian Open.

Advertisement

Rory McIlroy, the defending U.S. Open champion, was second at 12-under with 14-time major tournament winner Tiger Woods and 2010 U.S. Open titlist Graeme McDowell tied with Thomas Bjorn for third at 11-under.

Rock opened the fourth round tied for the lead with Woods and each was 2-under after birdies at Nos. 2 and 3 Sunday. But Woods staggered with back-to-back bogeys at the fourth and fifth holes, giving Rock the lead.

Rock added another birdie at the sixth hole and Woods kept in the hunt with a ninth-hole birdie after Rock bogeyed No. 8. But Woods had a bogey at 10 and pars the rest of the way for a fourth-round score of even par 72.

Advertisement

Rock played the back nine even with a bogey at 13 while birdies at 14 and 16 that built up enough for a cushion to allow for an 18th-hole bogey.

McIlroy shot 3-under 69 Sunday, including birdies at 13 and 18 but wasn't able to catch Rock.

McDowell and Bjorn earned their shares of third-place with 4-under 68s Sunday.

Latest Headlines