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Golf: Tommy Fleetwood successfully defends Abu Dhabi HSBC championship title

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Tommy Fleetwood successfully defended his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title on Sunday after a sensational back nine to clinch the win.

The 27-year-old Englishman, who celebrated his birthday on Friday, started the final round two shots behind overnight leaders Ross Fisher and Thomas Pieters, and an indifferent front nine saw him make the turn five shots behind Fisher.

But Fleetwood then birdied the 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th holes for a seven-under par 65 round to finish on 22-under 267. He caught up with Fisher on 20-under with a 25-feet birdie putt on the 15th hole, and then powered ahead with a putt twice as long on the next hole.

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Fisher, 37, made an eagle from 45 feet on the second hole and added two more birdies in his front nine, but a bogey on the par-5 10th stalled his progress. He later added a birdie on the 16th, but that was not enough to catch Fleetwood and he finished with a 69 for a 20-under finish.

Rory McIlroy (70), making a comeback to tournament golf after nearly 100 days off, was tied third at 18 under alongside Matthew Fitzpatrick (69).

Top ranked Dustin Johnson shot a final-round 70 to finish on 14 under.

Singapore Open: Sergio Garcia starts year with a win

Masters champion Sergio Garcia began his 20th year as a pro by closing with a 3-under 68 for a five-shot victory at the Singapore Open.

Garcia won for the 28th time in his career, and in his fourth Asian country.

Starting the final round of the rain-delayed event at Sentosa Golf Club, the Spaniard birdied his first hole, picked up two more birdies before the turn and made all pars on the back nine.

He won by five shots over Satoshi Kodaira (71) of Japan and Shaun Norris (70) of South Africa. Jazz Janewattananond, a 22-year-old Thai, was among four players who earned spots in the British Open. The others went to Danthai Boonma of Thailand, Lucas Herbert of Australia and American Sean Crocker.

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sports@latimes.com

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