Flawless Rickie Fowler now aims for first major title

Rickie Fowler set his sights on a first major title after producing two moments of magic to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and climb to a career-high fourth in the world rankings.

After completing a flawless 65 in the delayed third round yesterday morning, Fowler carded a closing 69 to finish a shot ahead of Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, with Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson a shot further back in third.

Fowler took a two-shot lead into the final round and birdied the first two holes to double his advantage, only to run up a double bogey on the seventh after thinning his second shot from a sandy waste area across the green.