Perez hits shot of lifetime for Abu Dhabi win and 3rd title

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — (AP) — One of the best shot of Victor Perez’s life has arrange doubtless the largest yr of the Frenchman’s {golfing} profession.

Perez span a bunker shot back into the hole for birdie at No. 17 and celebrated wildly on the way in which to taking pictures 6-under 66 for a one-stroke victory on the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday, incomes him his third and simply largest European tour title.

“It was most likely the best shot I’ve ever hit,” Perez stated.

That wasn’t the top of the drama in a loopy end at Yas Island Hyperlinks.

Two strokes clear when teeing off on the par-5 18th, Perez drove right into a fairway bunker, hit his second shot practically into the water and two-putted for a bogey.

Min Woo Lee, taking part in within the group behind, wanted an eagle on the final to drive a playoff and his third shot raced simply previous the outlet then rolled slowly again down the hill to settle inside a foot of the cup. Solely then might Perez, watching the tv within the scorer’s hut, actually have a good time successful round $1.5 million at one of many tour’s prime occasions.

It could possibly be a life-changing victory for Perez, who climbed into second place in Europe’s Ryder Cup qualification standings. A captain’s decide for the competition with america exterior Rome appears to be like doubtless on the very least.

Perez was nearly dropped at tears when he was requested about what this victory would do for his profession.

“There’s a whole lot of massive issues arising, I’ve had a very good low season, I’ve labored actually arduous …,” an emotional Perez stated earlier than stepping away and protecting his face together with his fingers.

Perez completed on 18 beneath par for the match, with Sebastian Soderberg (67) and Lee (68) tied for second place. His earlier wins on the tour got here on the Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship in 2019 and the Dutch Open in Might final yr.

Lee was in a share of the lead after the third spherical with main winners Shane Lowry and Francesco Molinari, however the latter two light away within the again 9.

Lowry, specifically, struggled to a 76 after ending bogey-bogey-triple bogey-bogey, and was in a tie for twenty eighth. Molinari shot 71 and was tied fifth.

Perez birdied 4 of his first seven holes and twice held a two-shot lead early within the last spherical.

He did so once more after taking part in the par-3 seventeenth gap. Main by one at that stage, Perez left his tee shot brief and in a greenside bunker. His second shot went about 10 ft past the cup and span again into it, resulting in Perez leaping out of the sand and chest-bumping his caddie.

“It got here up possibly a bit skinny, I’m not going to lie,” he stated, “and it span again and I had the fortune of the ball entering into.”

Perez spoke of extra “fortune” down the 18th, when he fluffed his second shot and noticed it roll down the hill and find yourself in thick tough close to the water hazard.

“I might have needed to drop within the tough, you’re taking part in 4, you catch a flyer and now the entire thing is again on the desk,” he stated.

That did not occur, although. Perez chipped out from the tough and hit a 7-iron beneath stress pin-high from 150 yards.

Perez missed out on getting in Europe’s group for the Ryder Cup in 2021 having additionally been in a superb place early in qualification. He’s hoping to make amends now he’s prime of the Race to Dubai standings and is about to rise into the highest 60 on this planet.

“It’s a place that I do know — I’ve been in, principally, these footwear 2 1/2 years in the past for Whistling Straits,” he stated. “I’m delighted as a result of it’s one thing hopefully I do know, I can draw a bit little bit of expertise from it and possibly use it going ahead.”

Padraig Harrington, the 51-year-old Irishman and three-time main winner, was alone in fourth place — two pictures behind Perez — after a closing 67.

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