Five at the top in Abu Dhabi

Rory McIlroy, Branden Grace, Ian Poulter, Rickie Fowler and Joost Luiten are all locked in at ten under, though they are at various stages of their third round. He searched for his ball in two separate bushes – McIlroy even came to help him – but had to reload.

Then, after parring every hole on the back nine, he chipped in for birdie on the 17th for a two-shot lead heading into the final hole. This is Fowler’s fourth win since THE PLAYERS last May.

It needed two moments of inspiration in the final round to seal a one-shot victory – and spark more talk about Fowler’s place in golf’s current elite. “I thought today was one of the better ball-striking days in the week, just two bad wedge shots cost me a couple of shots”.

The World No. 6, held a three-shot lead at the turn but while he made seven straight pars on the back nine, McIlroy came home in 31 with an eagle at the last and Stenson came back in 32 to sit one shot behind the leader in the clubhouse.

Spieth shot a third 68 of the week and acknowledged after his round that he was “beat up, mentally and physically”, having played in South Korea, China, Australia, Bahamas, Hawaii and now Abu Dhabi since October.

Spieth is three shots off the lead after 4-under 68 and in need of what he called a “crazy round” to take victory in his first regular European Tour event.

“I said let’finish three-three and I was able to” McIlroy said of his fantastic second round finish.

On the 18th, Pieters made a birdie but Fowler got his par without any issues and wrapped up his win. And if you’re simply wanting to know how it looks on paper, for the first time ever, those four occupy the top four spots in the world golf rankings. “I’m looking forward to going to battle with those guys all year long and for the rest of our careers”.

“The three of them have played fantastic”.

“My short game was there when my tee-to-green play wasn’t but then when my tee-to-green was on, I just didn’t make any putts”.

“I did a lot of work Friday night with my coach, Pete Cowen, just trying to find some more fairways because I wasn’t really finding any”, Pieters said. “‘I’m glad I got to ride the camel as it was one of the things my mum said I must do while I’m here in Abu Dhabi” commented Creamer. “And that’s really given me chances”.

“I’m very exhausted”, admitted the Masters and US Open champion after surging up the leaderboard with four birdies in his last seven holes to finish joint-fifth, an incredible effort given that he never got close to firing on all cylinders.