Graeme McDowell completes two-shot win at Saudi International
Northern Irishman ends week on 12 under; Dustin Johnson eagles last hole to finish second
Sunday 2 February 2020 15:07, UK
Graeme McDowell secured a first European Tour victory since 2014 with a two-stroke win at the Saudi International.
The 40-year-old posted a level-par 70 in breezy conditions at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club to end the week on 12 under and hold off the chasing pack during an eventful final day.
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Defending champion Dustin Johnson eagled the last to finish second ahead of Phil Mickelson, Thomas Pieters and Gavin Green, while McDowell's playing partner Victor Dubuisson struggled to a final-round 74.
McDowell immediately surrendered his narrow overnight advantage with an opening-hole bogey and had to scramble to save par at both the fifth and sixth, before holing a 20-footer at the par-three eighth.
The Northern Irishman dropped a shot at the ninth after finding the bunker with his approach to reach the turn tied with Dubuisson, who mixed two birdies with two bogeys on his front nine.
Dubuisson's challenge faded after the Frenchman followed a bogey at the 10th with a three-putt double-bogey at the par-four next, as McDowell missed a five-footer to save par at the 13th.
McDowell responded by draining a 20-footer at the next and striking a stunning approach at the 15th to three feet to set up another birdie, pulling him three clear of clubhouse leader Pieters.
Johnson closed the gap by holing a 15-foot eagle at the last to get to 10 under, as McDowell saw out the victory by following two-putt pars at the 16th and 17th by holing from five feet at the par-five last.
Mickelson, who birdied three of his opening four holes, carded a three-under 67 to join Pieters on nine under, while Green eagled the driveable 17th and birdied the last to also finish tied-third.
A final-round 66 saw Sergio Garcia end the week in a share of sixth alongside Abraham Ancer, Thomas Detry and Ross Fisher, while world No 1 Brooks Koepka dropped to tied-17th after a two-over 72.
