Stenson retains Dubai golf title

Henrik Stenson overcame sweltering desert heat, fatigue and an out-of-bounds shank to retain the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the first time the Swede has successfully defended a title.

Stenson began the day as joint overnight leader along with Rafael Cabrera-Bello on 14-under, three strokes clear of their nearest challenger, but after a promising start the leading pair retreated to nervous, defensive golf as the chasing pack closed in.

Stenson and Cabrera-Bello failed to make a birdie from holes nine to 16.

But while the disconsolate Spaniard – 100 places below Stenson in the rankings – suffered successive double bogeys at 16 and 17, the Swede picked up shots on the final two holes.

That meant he won by two strokes to claim the $1.33 million first prize and a further $800,000 bonus for being runner-up on the European Tour money list.

Stenson will also move to second in the world rankings and his cool Dubai finish was proof to some of his ‘Ice Man’ nickname, although the modest Swede played down such a description.