January 19, 2014 – He was the best Spanish golfer performer at the statistics of the 2013 European Tour, even not winning any tournament, and now starts 2014 with a deserved victory. Pablo Larrazábal (Callaway Golf) held his nerve on the final green to deny a chasing pack including Rory McIlroy (Nike Golf) and Phil Mickelson (Callaway Golf) at the 2014 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, being his first victory on the European Tour since the 2011 BMW International Open.

The Spaniard knocked in a five foot birdie putt at the last after leaving his eagle effort well short for a closing five under par 67 and 14 under total. That left Mickelson – whose challenge had appeared over when he ran up a triple bogey at the 13th – needing an eagle from the middle of the fairway, but despite finding the green in two the American was unable to hole his putt from 50 feet.

Starting the day three off the lead, Larrazábal birdied the second from eight feet and almost aced the par three fourth. With overnight leader Craig Lee (Callaway Golf) stumbling, the lead switched hands on a regular basis but the 30 year old Spaniard fell behind the likes of McIlroy and Mickelson with a bogey at the fifth.

He chipped to a foot from the bunker at the eighth and sunk a six footer at the 11th to remain in touch, although Mickelson looked to be in command with three birdies over his first ten holes. But the Open Champion hit a three wood left under a bush on the 13th and decided to try and play back-handed rather than taking a drop.

The ball only bobbled up and caught his club on the follow through, and with a penalty drop the World Number Five was left to play his fifth shot to the green before two putting for a triple bogey seven.

That opened the door to the chasing pack, and it was Larrazábal who marched through it with a brilliant pitch to within a foot from the rough at the 13th before firing to the heart of the 18th green in two. A poor first putt created some tension, but the former Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year converted the second to take his third European Tour title.

“It feels great,” said Pablo Larrazábal. “Only me and my team know how much we’ve worked during the last three years.”

“I want to thank so many people starting with my brand Callaway – they set up the best driver I could ever hit, the Big Bertha Alpha. I am hitting 20 meters longer now and a lot straighter. This makes a lot of difference in this kind of golf courses. Then I want to thank my team and my girlfriend. It’s just unbelievable.”

“The birdie at 13 gave me the confidence to keep it going and I hit great shots coming in. The five wood at 18 is maybe the best shot of my golfing career.”

What’s in Pablo’s golf bag?

• Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Pro (8.5º)
• Fairway Wood: Callaway X Hot 3-Wood, RAZR Fit Xtreme 5-Wood
• Irons: Callaway X Forged ’13 (3, 4 and 5), RAZR Muscleback (6, 7, 8 and 9)
• Wedges: Callaway Forged (50º, 54º, 60º)
• Putter: Odyssey White Hot Pro V-Line Putter
• Golf ball: Callaway Speed Regime SR3
• Footwear: Callaway

Pictures: Courtesy of Getty Images.

Por REDACCIÓN