Double delight for Hansen at Aviv Dubai Championship

There was double-delight for Joachim Hansen at the Aviv Dubai Championship, as the Dane picked up his second European Tour trophy, all while booking his spot in next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

The 31-year-old entered the final day at Jumeirah Golf Estates in a share of top spot but a birdie on the first handed him a lead he would never relinquish as he finished a shot ahead of Italian Francesco Laporta and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger at 23 under.

“It means a lot, especially with family here and friends this time, there was nothing in Joburg,” he said. “When I saw Jeff Winther win in Mallorca I was very jealous because he had all the family and friends celebrating and I really wanted that. I’m really glad I get to experience that.”

Hansen has now made just one bogey in his last 83 holes and while he felt he played some of the best golf of his career over the first three days in Dubai, he was happy to be able to grind out a win on Sunday.

“I really struggled finding the middle of the club on the woods so I didn’t drive it well - the putter helped me today, I putted a lot better today than yesterday so that kept me in the game,” he added.

Wiesberger, who had local pro Sam Taylor on the bag, birdied five of his last seven holes over the Fire Course to surge up the leaderboard with a closing 65, while Laporta was applying the pressure all day in a bogey free 69.

Thai Jazz Janewattananond, Australian Min Woo Lee, defending champion Antoine Rozner and England’s Andy Sullivan finished the week at 20 under.

The players now turn their attentions to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship on the neighbouring Earth course, where $3 million will be handed to the champion, the richest first prize in tournament golf.

Collin Morikawa leads the way from compatriot Billy Horschel in the season-long Race to Dubai as both men looks to achieve history by becoming the first American to lift the Harry Vardon Trophy.

They won’t be joined by World No.1 Jon Rahm, who today decided to pull out of the Dubai finale due to wanting to spend more time with family after a busy season. Justin Rose and Viktor Hovland will also not make the trip, but Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia have both been granted a special exemption to play be European Tour CEO Keith Pelley, despite not fulfilling the minimum event obligations for 2021.