Jamie Donaldson wins Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship

Welshman Jamie Donaldson carded a final-round 68 to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship by a single shot from Justin Rose and Thorbjorn Olesen at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Jamie Donaldson

Welshman Jamie Donaldson carded a final-round 68 to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship by a single shot from Justin Rose and Thorbjorn Olesen at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

It was the second win of Donaldson's European Tour career, following victory at the Irish Open in July last year. It took him 255 events to notch his first win, but just a further 13 to record his second.

Needing to par the par-5 last to secure victory, he three-putted for bogey to fall back to 14-under-par. That mean Rose and Olesen - playing in the final group - needed to make birdie to force a play-off.

But Olesen's effort from 15 feet slipped just past the hole and world number five Rose lipped out from 12 feet, handing the title to Donaldson.

Rose started the day with a two-shot lead, but a series of missed putts and a poor approach to the 16th, coupled with a superb putting display from Donaldson, put paid to his chances of a victory on debut in Abu Dhabi.

"It's pretty surreal really, I've played really good all week although I've got away with murder up the last," said Donaldson, a Galvin Green Team player.

"I thought one of them would hole if not both, but when both putts slipped by it was my week. I'm very happy to be standing here holding the trophy - it's just mad."

The 37-year-old, who will make his Masters debut in April, has now moved into the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career.

Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE Jan 17-20, purse €2,020,000, par 72

1) Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 67 70 69 68 - 274 €336,726 T2) Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) 68 69 69 69 - 275 €175,471 T2) Justin Rose (END) 67 69 68 71 - 275 €175,471 4) Ricardo Santos (POR) 71 72 66 68 - 277 €101,018 5) Branden Grace (RSA) 71 69 73 65 - 278 €85,663 T6) David Howell (ENG) 69 71 68 71 - 279 €60,611 T6) Martin Kaymer (GER) 71 60 70 69 - 279 €60,611 T6) Joost Luiten (NED) 70 69 73 67 - 279 €60,611

*Bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Nick Bonfield
Content Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, commissioning and feature writing. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x