DUSTIN JOHNSON RALLIES TO WIN BY THREE SHOTS IN SHANGHAI

                                 DUSTIN JOHNSON ... biggest win of his career

                                         Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Dustin Johnson produced a stunning finish to hold off determined challenges from Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell and claim the biggest win of his career in the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

The American Ryder Cup player recovered from seeing his three- shot overnight lead wiped out in the first two holes to play the closing six holes in five under par at Sheshan International Golf Club, signing for a six under par round of 66 and a winning total of 24 under par. 

With all three player posting the same score in a tightly contested final round, Johnson finished three shots clear of defending champion Poulter and four clear of McDowell, with the turning point coming at the 16th hole.

Johnson used his power to full effect on the short par four, leaving his tee shot just ten yards short of the green and promptly chipping in for eagle, with Poulter making birdie and McDowell only a par.

With a two-shot lead, Johnson then picked up a further shot on the 17th hole, giving him a comfortable cushion playing the 18th hole, where he had found the water on Saturday en route to a double bogey.

Unsurprisingly, Johnson hit an iron off the tee this time and laid up with his second shot, eventually missing a short birdie putt after Poulter and McDowell, heroes of Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in Medinah last year, had done likewise.

That meant that 29 year old Johnson claimed his first on The European Tour and maiden World Golf Championships title, along with the first prize of €1,012,145.

“It's my biggest win I've had so far in my career and it feels really good,” he said.  “I put a lot of work in this year, and I've struggled a lot.  I won the first event of the year and I struggled a little bit through the end.  But you know, I've been putting in a lot of work the last month or two, and it definitely feels really good to get a win.”

Both Poulter and McDowell will find some consolation in gaining vital ground on Swede Henrik Stenson in The Race to Dubai, as well as significant Ryder Cup points.

Poulter said: “I guess it was a good defence.  I’m obviously a little disappointed not to put my hands back on the trophy, but 15 birdies and an eagle at the weekend is some pretty good golf.

“So it's exciting for the next few weeks ahead, and obviously it's some good points on the board obviously for Ryder Cup and Race to Dubai.”

With Stenson closing with a round of 65 for the second consecutive week in Shanghai, this time for a share of 31^st position, McDowell made a significant inroad into the Swede’s advantage on the Race to Dubai, cutting it to just €145,866 with two events remaining of the Final Series.

“Obviously there is a pang of disappointment, but generally I’m just very proud of myself the way I played this week tee‑to‑green,” said McDowell. “On the greens, there is room for improvement.

“But I didn't make a bogey all weekend.  I shot 14‑under on the weekend and hit the ball really well.  I was chasing some great players.  Dustin Johnson was in a different league off the tee and gave us a little bit of a sniff and then promptly slammed the door.”

Spaniard Sergio Garcia produced the lowest round of the day – a superb 63 – to finish fourth on 18 under par, with US Open Champion Justin Rose fifth on 16 under par.

 It was also an important week for former World Number One Rory McIlroy who carded a 69 for a 15 under par total and a share of sixth position with Canada’s Graham Delaet.

That moved him up from 62^nd on The Race to Dubai to 38^th position, meaning he will qualify to defend his title in the DP WORLD Tour Championship, Dubai in a fortnight.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72)

264 D Johnson (USA) 69 63 66 66

267 I Poulter (Eng) 71 67 63 66

268 G McDowell  (Nir) 69 69 64 66

270 S Garcia  (Esp) 70 68 69 63

272 J Rose (Eng) 68 71 65 68

273 R McIlroy  (Nir) 65 72 67 69, G Delaet (Can) 71 68 65 69

274 M Kaymer (Ger) 70 74 62 68, J Donaldson (Wal) 67 74 66 67, B Watson (USA) 68 69 69 68

275 K Bradley (USA) 71 68 68 68, E Els (RSA) 69 69 71 66, B Weekley (USA) 70 67 69 69

276 P Mickelson (USA) 71 68 72 65

277 L Wen-Chong (Chn) 72 67 72 66, L Oosthuizen  (RSA) 70 70 70 67

278 J Spieth  (USA) 68 71 70 69

279 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 68 70 69 72, J Jeong (SKor) 70 69 71 69

280 P Casey  (Eng) 69 73 69 69

281 B Haas  (USA) 72 72 69 68, B Van Pelt (USA) 77 67 66 71, J Van Zyl (RSA) 72 73 68 68, F Molinari (Ita) 72 69 70 70, M Manassero (Ita) 72 70 70 69, S Piercy (USA) 72 73 68 68, S Hend (Aus) 69 74 66 72, M Ilonen  (Fin) 72 69 72 68, P Hanson (Swe) 70 73 70 68, G Bourdy (Fra) 75 68 67 71

282 L Donald  (Eng) 70 71 70 71, H Stenson (Swe) 74 76 67 65, N Watney (USA) 75 74 67 66

283 M Brown (Nzl) 72 68 72 71, H Wen-Yi (Chn) 70 74 69 70, B Horschel (USA) 71 69 72 71, K Streelman (USA) 70 73 72 68, J Dufner (USA) 73 67 71 72

284 B Grace  (RSA) 77 71 67 69, C Wood  (Eng) 71 71 73 69, L Hao-Tong (Chn) 72 71 74 67, T Björn (Den) 74 72 70 68, D Lynn (Eng) 74 70 69 71, G Fernandez-Castaño (Esp) 67 71 70 76, R Sterne  (RSA) 74 73 74 63

285 K Duke (USA) 70 72 73 70, T Jaidee (Tha) 76 68 68 73, J Walker  (USA) 73 73 69 70, B Gay (USA) 71 72 72 70

286 M Kawamura (Jpn) 73 72 70 71, R Moore  (USA) 70 74 69 73, M Thompson  (USA) 74 72 68 72, H Fujita (Jpn) 75 70 68 73, M Hendry (Nzl) 72 73 73 68

287 P Uihlein  (USA) 71 73 73 70, B Snedeker  (USA) 73 74 70 70, J Merrick (USA) 72 75 69 71, L Westwood (Eng) 71 73 68 75 R Fowler  (USA) 74 70 70 73, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 69 78 68 72

288 D Fichardt (RSA) 70 74 75 69, D Ernst (USA) 71 72 73 72

289 S Gallacher (Sco) 73 73 72 71, J Blixt  (Swe) 70 75 74 70, G Bhullar (Ind) 69 71 75 74

290 R Ishikawa (Jpn) 81 72 68 69, D Popovic (Aus) 77 71 69 73

291 W Ashun (Chn) 74 75 70 72, D Points (USA) 72 74 70 75

292 D Howell (Eng) 72 75 73 72

293 B Seuk-Hyun (Kor) 81 68 69 75

295 M Jiménez (Esp) 75 76 70 74

296 R Jacquelin (Fra) 81 70 71 74

297 G Coetzee (RSA) 75 77 74 71

299 H Mu (Chn) 76 75 73 75

303 B Rumford (Aus) 75 77 79 72

323 H Ming-Jie (Chn) 83 77 80 83

** H Matsuyama  (Jpn) 71 WD