Henrik Stenson capped a brilliant year on Sunday, winning the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in record fashion and also becoming the new European No. 1.
The Swede shot a stunning round of eight-under 64 in blustery condition on the Earth course of Jumeirah Golf Estates for a four-day total of 25-under 263.
That beat the previous lowest tournament total by two shots and matched the largest victory margin by Lee Westwood in 2009.
England’s Ian Poulter shot a second consecutive six-under 66 to finish second on 19-under 269, while France’s Victor Dubuisson could not get on a birdie run on the final day and finished third at 17-under 271 following a round of 71.
For Stenson, it amounted to a double-double. He had earlier won the Tour Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, on the PGA Tour and the FedEx Cup, and he achieved similar results in the European Tour as well.
The 37-year-old will remain the world No. 3 despite the win, but he will close the gap on No. 2 Adam Scott, who won the Australian Masters earlier on Sunday.
Stenson finished the round and the tournament in great style, hitting a five-wood on the par-five 18th hole to within a foot for an eagle.
In between, he hit what he called the “Shot of the Year,” a five-iron second shot into the wind on the tough par-four 12th hole to within a foot for a birdie.
“It takes a little time to sink in, same as it [did] with the FedEx Cup. The feeling gets better and better as time goes on,” said Stenson, who won his third tournament of the year for the eighth time on the European Tour. “To get the double-double of winning the Tour Championship of both the tours and the total, that’s going to take some beating in the future.”
Poulter, who was seen waving a white towel to Stenson on the 18th green having lost their personal bet, said: “He’s beaten me fair and square ... I don’t know what juice he’s drinking at the moment, but I want some of that.”
“He’s in phenomenal form and you have to respect it. He has had to work incredibly hard to get where he was to a position he’s in today. It’s really impressive. I’m very pleased for him. You are witnessing the best golfer on the planet, for sure,” Poulter said.
Dutchman Joost Luiten was alone in fourth place at 16-under 272, while three former world No. 1s and Race to Dubai champions — Lee Westwood (68), Luke Donald (67) and Rory McIlroy (67) — were tied for fifth place at 272.
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