Bryson DeChambeau claimed a remarkable fourth win in his last nine events with a commanding victory in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The American carded a closing 64 to set a new tournament record of 24 under par and finish seven shots clear of England’s Matt Wallace.
Here, we look at the winners and losers from Emirates Golf Club.
WINNERS
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
The California man looks to have taken his game to a new level with a fourth win in nine starts.
The 25-year-old posted two eagles and 26 birdies across the weekend to finish on 24 under par and continue his strong start to the new season.
It was his fifth win since June, and judging by his array of shot selection this weekend, more should follow if he can adopt the same hard-working attitude on and off the course.
At world number five, it’s only a matter of time before he seals the number one spot.
ERNIE ELS
The three-time champion in Dubai rolled back the years with a superb display at the Earth Course.
The towering Johannesburg native posted rounds of 68-65-70-71 to finish on 14 under par, three shots behind Wallace in second place.
At 49, the 28-time European Tour winner is just nine months away from being eligible for the Champions Tour and is currently ranked 527th in the world.
His sublime performance in Dubai should give him belief that he can continue to compete at the top.
MATT WALLACE
The likes of Paul Waring and Sergio Garcia were also in contention for this pick, but Wallace shades it.
The Englishman glided around the course with aplomb, shooting rounds of 70-64-69-68 to finish on 17 under par in second place.
Building on his stunning 2018 campaign, the only way is up for the Hillingdon native, with crisp iron play and consistent putting at the heart of what is an exciting and ferocious game plan.
A class act.
LOSERS
RAFA CABRERA BELLO
The Spaniard arrived in the Emirates backed by T18-T6-T11 finishes in his last three starts.
But the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic champion failed to fire in the opening two rounds and subsequently missed the halfway cut.
The 34-year-old posted eight birdies across the two days but his nine bogeys saw him finish on a disappointing one-under par.
Cabrera-Bello has the skill to win on any given day, but holding out for the entire weekend is always the issue.
HENRIK STENSON
The former Dubai resident missed the cut for the second week in a row.
Backed by a solid finish to last season, big things were expected from the Swede this month. But he failed to replicate those formidable displays in Indonesia and the Bahamas and showed rustiness around the Earth Course.
Although he shot two under par for the first two rounds, it wasn’t enough to make the cut. His miserable seven bogeys and two double bogeys will disappoint him, but he has a chance to make amends in Saudi Arabia next week.
