Nicolai Hojgaard wins DP World Tour Championship in Dubai

DUBAI: The only thing missing from what has been a stellar season for Nicolai Hojgaard was a win, and the young Dane rectified that on Sunday with a remarkable two-shot victory in the $10.5 million DP World Tour Championship.

At the Earth course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, the 22-year-old seemed out of the reckoning at one stage when he made a bogey from the fairway bunker on the 12th hole. It felt like a costly mistake as he fell to 16-under total, three behind leader Tommy Fleetwood, who was being his usual solid self.

But there is something cathartic about the back nine of the Greg Norman-designed course, at least for Hojgaard. After the first two rounds, he was leading the championship at 11-under par, having done all his scoring on the back nine.

The Ryder Cup rookie pulled himself together and reeled off five straight birdies in an amazing stretch of golf, racing ahead of world No. 15 Fleetwood and No. 4 Viktor Hovland.

But just when it looked like he had left everyone in his wake, Hojgaard failed to make a three-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th, which would have taken him to 22-under.

He left the green despondent, but almost at the same time, Fleetwood three-putted the 17th for a bogey to fall to 19-under, while Hovland dumped his second shot into the water on the par-5 18th and failed to make a birdie.

With both Fleetwood and Hovland closing with rounds of 68, they joined overnight leader Matt Wallace (69) of England at 19-under par, leaving Hojgaard the champion at 21-under.

Winner of two previous DP World Tour titles, including one down the road in Ras Al-Khaimah last year, Hojgaard has played well this season. He secured his card on the PGA Tour card through limited opportunities and made his Ryder Cup