Robert Rock claimed the biggest win of his career when lifting the Abu Dhabi Championship trophy on Sunday.
Englishman holds his nerve to clinch biggest victory of his career
Robert Rock claimed the biggest win of his career when lifting the Abu Dhabi Championship trophy on Sunday.
The Englishman fought off the challenges of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy with a closing round of 70 to clinch victory by a single shot.
Rock overcame the jitters on the par-five closing hole, where he eventually made the six he needed after being forced to take a penalty drop.
"I can't believe I've done that today - such an amazing feeling," said the modest Midlander. "I was very happy to be playing with Tiger Woods today, and that's a special honour in itself.
"I really surprised myself, early on I was very, very nervous, but hit some good shots and started thinking 'why not'.
"I've worked hard on my game but didn't think this would happen."
Outplayed
It was a nervy finish for the world number 117, who had outplayed playing partner Woods for much of the final day.
The pair started the round tied for the lead but Woods handed his rival an early lead with back-to-back bogeys at the fourth and fifth after both had picked up shots at the two previous holes.
Rock went three clear with a seven-foot birdie putt on the sixth and Woods had to work hard to keep his deficit to that after losing his ball control in the windier conditions.
By the turn, though, the gap was back to one. Rock was twice in rough on the long eighth and bogeyed, then Woods made a seven-footer of his own for birdie on the ninth.
They turned at 13 under and 12 under respectively, while Scot Paul Lawrie was alone in third two back and McIlroy, having bogeyed the short seventh, three behind with Dane Thomas Bjorn and Italian Francesco Molinari.
Woods gave a shot straight back at the 10th after finding a bunker off the tee and then another by the green.
There could have been a two-shot swing at the next but Woods holed his par putt from 15 feet following a poor approach before Rock missed his birdie attempt from closer in.
Woods bunkered
McIlroy kept his round going with birdie from 22 feet at the 13th before a good par save at the 14th from 15 feet, while at the same time Rock was bogeying the hole behind to see his lead reduced to just one again.
The leader was in sand again off the tee at 14, only to fire his approach to 15 feet and hole the putt, while Woods went from bunker to bunker once again, relying on his scrambling skills to get up and down and keep the lead to two.
The pair parred the next in regulation before Woods managed to save par again at the next despite another wayward drive, but once more it was Rock turning on the style under pressure as he birdied from six feet following another fine approach.
McIlroy had birdied the closing hole to make Rock's lead two going down the last, and he needed it after finding the hazard from the tee forcing him to take a penalty drop.
But it proved to be the correct choice, his lay-up allowing him to pitch to around 25 feet, and a perfect lag putt to the side of the cup ensured there would be no further hiccups.
"I just wanted to keep hitting good shots, making good swings and giving myself putts for birdies," added the new champion. "I was expecting some pressure so I was glad to make some decent swings - until the 18th tee.
"It's an amazing tournament to win, I've not done that well here before either so I'm amazed I've been able to do that this week."
Woods, who found only five fairways and a similar number of greens in regulation, went round in a disappointing level par and had to settle for a share of third place alongside Graeme McDowell and Bjorn.
McDowell came home in 31 strokes, a hole in one at the 12th - the third of the week there - was followed by a birdie at the next while two closing birdies saw him round in 68, to take him to -11 alongside the Dane, who also carded a bogey-free 68.
The biggest loser of the day was Sweden's Peter Hanson, who returned a round of the week 64 to get into Sunday's final group, but followed up with a 78 that saw him slip all the way back into a tie for 35th.
