Fowler takes lead in Abu Dhabi

Since last May he has now won twice each on the European and PGA Tours and will move up to fourth in the world following this latest one stroke triumph.

What followed was the first of two key hole-outs that led the American to victory, as Fowler jarred a lengthy bunker shot for eagle on No. 8 to erase his blunder from the previous hole.

Sullivan who was at the top until the ninth tee, drove into a bush, couldn’t find his ball, returned to the tee, and eventually made a 7 at No. 9 going nine under alongside Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Thomas Pieters, Henrik Stenson and Robert Rock.

After a disappointing 73 in his second round, Spieth recorded a four-under 68 on Saturday and sits tied for 15th on seven-under – three shots off a five-way tie for the lead.

Spieth is three shots off the lead after a 4-under 68. “‘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.

Fowler has every right to class himself as one of the sport’s standard-bearers, having moved inside the world’s top five for the first time.

In exalted company, Fowler reached 16 under par for a one-shot win.

Ever since that term was coined for Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day, the popular 27 year old has been quietly compiling an impressive body of work of his own. “Everyone is talking about the big three and Rickie sort of needing to do something but if the four of us are top four in the world, it’s a nice narrative going into the meat of the golf season”, he said. “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.

Howell, whose hopes of winning the €400,000 first prize nose-dived yesterday as he dropped three shots in the front nine of his third round, carded a pair of 73s in his final two rounds to finish tied 35th in the Middle East.

“They are the three highest-ranked players in the world”. This was a big deal for Fowler who now has four wins in the last nine months.

“I wasted a lot of opportunities out there this week, so it really is a story of what could have been”.

Early morning fog delayed the start of play with second round matches still to be finished. His scorecards in the final two rounds, including a bogey-free third-round 65, contained only a single blemish, one that he erased with a flourish on the ensuing hole. “Just looking forward to next week now”, said Pieters, who had finished third in Abu Dhabi a year ago. This is his first regular European Tour event and only seventh start in a professional tournament.