Rocks hold off Woods,Mcllroy to win Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Robert Rock Winner Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship


ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates- Robert Rock held his nerve Sunday to hold off U.S. Open champion Rory Mcllory and Tiger Woods at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship for the biggest win of the Englishman's career.

The two players started the day in a tie for the lead and it was the little know Rock,the world number 117 who held his nerve on the final day to collect a second European tour victory with a closing 70 for 275, 13 under par.

The 34-year-old Rock collects a check for 347,024 euros ($460,000) after taking his second European Tour title and will climb into the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 117th.

He hit five birdies and three bogeys today, including losing a shot at the final hole after pushing his drive into a hazard and taking a penalty drop.

Rock and Woods

Wood's sustained excellence over the first three days at the demanding Abu Dhabi Golf Club indicated the 14-time major champion was back to his best but his game unraveled on Sunday as he faded to 72 for 277 under par.

World number three Rory Mcllroy (69) finish second on 276 while Woods had to settle for a share of third spot 

with former US Open champion Graeme Mcdowell (68), who had a hole -in-one at the 12th, and Dane Thomas Bjorn (68).

"i really can't believe i did that today,"said the 34-year-old Englishman after another hot day in the desert, "It is such an amazing feeling.

"I was just happy to be playing alongside Tiger, that was a special honour in itself. Early on I played really well and I surprised myself.

"I hit some good shots and I began to tell myself, 'Why not (go and win it)?'. I've worked very hard at my game over the last few years but I didn't think this would ever happen," added Rock after eclipsing a world-class field.

Woods, seeking a 96th tournament victory, wore his trademark final-day red shirt and was the clear favourite to win at the start of the round.

However, the pinpoint accuracy he showed with his irons and woods earlier in the event suddenly gave way to a succession of errors as he reached only one green in regulation in the opening eight holes.

The 36-year-old American gritted his teeth, producing a scrambling effort on and around the greens just to stay in contention for his first victory in a full-field event for more than two years.

"I had a chance to win the tournament and I didn't do it," said Woods. "I was just a touch off today.

"Some of my shots went a bit further than I thought they would. A couple of my three-woods went about 320 yards and a couple of my eight-irons went about 180.

"Those are numbers I don't normally hit so I am going to have to go away, reassess and figure that out. I putted beautifully but I just didn't give myself enough looks at birdies," added Woods.

"Robert played great today. He was solid and consistent and didn't do anything wrong."

The Englishman, backed by the occasional cry of 'Rocky, Rocky' from the galleries, came close to throwing the title away with a nerve-jangling effort at the par-five 18th.

Italian Open champion Rock smashed a wayward drive into the desert scrub and contemplated a risky recovery even though his ball was in sand and close to a cactus bush.

Taking heed of some wise words from his caddie, Rock eventually decided discretion was the better part of valour and went back 50 yards to the fairway under penalty.

He also fluffed his fourth, a chip in front of the green, but two putts from 30 feet for a bogey six were enough to clinch the title.

Rock said partner Woods had been the perfect playing companion.

"Tiger's a great guy," he added. "He was brilliant to play with and was fantastic to me the whole way round."

It was a case of so near yet so far for McIlroy, with the US Open champion regretting his moment of madness in Friday's second round when he incurred a two-shot penalty for using his hand to brush away sand on the fringe of the ninth green.

Ayele Abshero stuns with 2:04:23 debut, Mergia clocks 2:19:31 in Dubai

Ayele Absgero Smashed Record  with 2:04:23 win.

Ayele Abshero and his Ethiopian colleagues turned the marathon tide substantially today (Jan 27) in a sizzling Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon which rewrote the record books.

Abshero, just turned 21, ran the fastest winning debut in history, taking the title in an event record time of 2:04:23 – the fourth fastest in history – while the top three finishers in the women’s event, won by defending champion Asselefech Mergia Medessa, all smashed the 2:20:00 barrier.

Abshero, the 2009 Junior Cross Country World Champion, also established himself as a leading contender for Ethiopia’s Olympic trio – if not victory at London 2012 – as he headed an Ethiopian 1-2-3, with Dino Sefir second in 2:04:50, and Markos Geneti third in 2:04:54, both personal bests.

The quality of the performances was such that based on the final finishing times, yesterday’s $1 million race featured the greatest marathon field in history. Never before in marathon history have more than three men broken 2:05 on a legal course yet here in Dubai four men broke that mark. Best marks-for-place were set for positions from third through to 17th, making it arguably the greatest marathon ever in terms of depth.

The Kenyans who carried all before them last year in the marathon world were firmly rebuffed. Jonathon Maiyo placed fourth, in 2:04:56, but he was the only non-Ethiopian in the top ten, most of whom set personal bests. Pre-race favourite Martin Lel dropped off the lead group before 30k, but soldiered on to finish 35th in 2:34:57.

It was an Ethiopian red letter day all round with Medessa defending her Dubai title, running an Ethiopian and course record, with a personal best of 2:19:31, finishing just ahead of Kenyan debutante Lucy Kabuu, a further three seconds adrift. Again Ethiopians dominated, with Mare Dibaba third in a personal best 2:19:52.

Abshero, whose most notable feat apart from his world junior cross victory was beating Kenenisa Bekele in a 15km road race three years ago, maintained that his finishing time was his target.

“I thought I could run 2:04 today,” he said after receiving his trophy and the winner’s cheque of $250,000 from His Excellency Abdulrahman Al Owais, the UAE Minister of Health and Culture, Youth and Community Development, and Jonathan Morris, Standard Chartered CEO in the UAE.

“But it’s hard to plan for your first marathon as I really just didn’t know what was going to happen. But I’m very happy. I’m now the number one in Ethiopia, and I think it could be the Olympic Games for me.”

Abshero’s time is only headed by Kenyans Patrick Makau – with his world record 2:03:38 – and Wilson Kipsang (2:03:42) and his illustrious colleague Haile Gebrselassie (2:03:59). But shattering Geb’s Dubai course record by 30 seconds has cemented his place in the emirate’s sporting history.

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and staged under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon saw around 17,000 runners compete in the marathon, the 10km and the 3km Fun Run but few received as loud a cheer as Medessa and Kabuu who provided a thrilling end to the women’s marathon.

“I know the course so I felt confident,” said Medessa, who edged out Kabuu by just three seconds. “I prepared well and I’m delighted with 2:19. I’m now the best Ethiopian – and with a time like that, I hope to be selected for the Olympic Games”.

It was the first time in international marathon history where three women have all ran under 2:20:00 underlining the event’s IAAF Gold Label status and its standing as one of the greatest marathon stages in the world. As with the men’s event, the women’s race saw incredible depth and best marks-for-place were set for positions third through to ninth. The top ten men all set personal bests, while the top seven women did likewise.

In the women’s 10km event there was a second consecutive victory for UAE Olympic hopeful Betty Desalyn who warmed up for the Asian Indoor Games with a time of 34:14, while Eritrean Tekle Sahle took the men’s title in 28:47.

“I’m very happy to win for the second time,” said 20 year-old Desalyn, who is targeting Olympic qualification in London in both the 1,500 and 5,000m. “I’ve been training hard in Ethiopia and will go to China for the Asian Indoors before looking ahead to London.”