Final Report Dustin Johnson won his second European Tour title of the season as he cruised to a five-shot victory at the WGC-Mexico Championship. The American is the only player to have won all four World Golf Championships events and he took his tally to six at Chapultepec Golf Club with a third triumph in this event. He began the final day with a four shot lead and while Rory McIlroy cut that gap to two in the early stages, Johnson recovered from just a second blemish of the week to sign for a 66 and finish at 21 under. Johnson has now won in consecutive starts on the European Tour after his victory at the Saudi International powered by SBIA and will move up to second in the Official World Golf Ranking. McIlroy put on an excellent show of his own, making six birdies on the back nine in a 67, but still had to settle for a sixth runner-up finish since his last European Tour win at the 2016 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat and English pair Paul Casey and Ian Poulter were then ten shots off the lead in a distant tie for third, one clear of American Patrick Cantlay, Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Australian Cameron Smith. American Justin Thomas matched his own course record with a 62 to finish at nine under, a shot clear of Dutchman Joost Luiten, who finished his week with an impressive 64. Keegan Bradley, Alfred Dunhill Championship winner David Lipsky and 14 time Major Champion Tiger Woods were also 13 shots off the lead. Player Quotes Dustin Johnson: "This is a big one for me and it gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the year. I feel like the game's in good form right now. "It's been a little bit since I've been in the lead with this kind of field and this calibre of players. I know Rory's playing really well, he was not too far behind me, so I definitely felt some nerves there at the beginning of the day. "I made some really good par saves early in the round on the front nine and that kind of gave me the momentum. I knew I was still swinging it well, I just had to give myself some chances and turned it on on the back nine. Me and Rory both played a really good back nine." Rory McIlroy: "It was good. Some weeks you play well and someone just plays better and that's what DJ did this week. When DJ has got a four shot lead and goes out and shoots five under par, he's not going to lose. "My game is right there, I'm really happy with everything. I've just got to stay patient, look at the positives and just keep persisting, putting myself in positions and sooner or later it'll go my way." Paul Casey: “My game feels really good. I was very happy with the up and down, obviously. There was a lot of world ranking points, FedEx points. This is obviously a co-sanctioned, as European Tour Race to Dubai points. I mean, it's everything. “It was a big deal and playing a limited schedule between both tours, it's important I capitalise events like this. I want to be kind of in the thick of things and maybe with a chance to win a Race to Dubai as well, that would be really fun. So, big stuff. Game's good, looking forward to it.” Ian Poulter: “I had a week off skiing. I went back home, hit balls, didn't really hit it very well. Come here, didn't feel great went, so I didn't do an awful lot of putting, to be honest. So, I can't give you the answer why I putted nicely this week. I think my pace was good. I felt comfortable with the speed of the greens and the way the slopes all kind of sloped a bit. “I mean, my last three starts were sixth, third, sixth, so I was going six, three, six, three right? So, unless someone else finishes above me in that closing hole. But it's good, it's a great finish. I'm happy where my golf is, I'm happy where everyone else is, and I'm just enjoying myself.”                                                                            Ends

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS Wentworth Drive | Virginia Water | Surrey | GU25 4LX | UNITED KINGDOM

RORY McILROY EQUALS PERSONAL BEST 63 TO LEAD AT WGC-MEXICO CHAMPIONSHIP Round One Report Rory McIlroy equalled the lowest opening round of his European Tour career to lead the way after day one of the WGC-Mexico Championship. The Northern Irishman fired an eagle and seven birdies at Chapultepec Golf Club en route to his fifth first round of 63 and his lowest starting round on the European Tour since 2014. That left him at eight under, one shot clear of 2015 and 2017 champion Dustin Johnson and three ahead of two more Americans in Matt Kuchar and Justin Thomas. South African George Coetzee and Englishman Tyrrell Hatton were then four shots off the lead. McIlroy has not won on the European Tour since 2016 but has finished second five times since then and was showing the sort of form that has brought him four Major Championships. Hatton finished a shot out of a play-off here last season and turned in level par with a birdie and a bogey before coming to life on the back nine. He holed from 16 feet on the tenth and sandwiched a beautiful tee-shot to tap in range on the par three 13th with up-and-downs from the sand on the 12th and 15th. Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Americans Billy Horschel and David Lipsky, and England's Ian Poulter were five shots off the lead. Player Quotes Rory McIlroy (-8): "It felt pretty stress-free. I wouldn't say it was easy. I hit a lot of good golf shots, I left myself a lot of tap-ins for birdies and had a nice eagle on the first hole as well. “I think for the most part my wedge play was pretty good. I was able to control my distance as well, control trajectories well, but my putting felt great all year, so if I'm excited about anything in my game, it's the way I've putted the last few weeks.  “Also just my attitude. I'm not putting myself under any pressure, I've sort of got things in a really nice perspective. I think that's probably 80 percent of the reason why I'm playing this good golf over the first few weeks of the year. "I saw some really good signs last year. I played myself into final groups and had some good chances to win and I think this year is just building upon the good stuff that I was able to do last year.” Dustin Johnson (-7): “I'm just trying to get it in the fairway and get a good number and coming in to these flags. The greens are tough, so you kind of want to leave yourself in the right position and today was a good day. I felt like I controlled the ball well. I gave myself a lot of opportunities. Missed a couple short ones, but that's going to happen around here. I'm very pleased with the round. “I just think it's a really good course. Even being at altitude, it's still a good golf course. Put this in the States and it would be extremely difficult. It plays a little bit easier because it plays shorter with the altitude but I like the golf course. It's tree lined, it's tight and if you play well, you can make a lot of birdies.” Tyrrell Hatton (-4): "I'm pretty happy with the score. I have good and bad memories from last year so looking to have a good start and obviously four under is a nice way to start the tournament. Hopefully I can continue that way. "I feel comfortable here. I like how the course kind of suits my eye. If I can hole some putts I should have a good week." Tiger Woods (L): “Got off to a bad start. Got it going after a little bit there, made three in a row.  Couldn't make any birdies after that for some reason. It is what it is. “The people were fantastic. They were into it, they were excited, and they were yelling for Abe today. It was cool to see.”                                                                          Ends

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS