Dustin Johnson wins WGC-Mexico Championship

Dustin Johnson of the USA fired a closing round of 66 to win the WGC-Mexico Championship by five shots from Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

Dustin Johnson wins WGC-Mexico Championship

Dustin Johnson claimed his sixth World Golf Championship title and his third win in this particular event with a supremely solid performance in the WGC-Mexico Championship at Chapultepec GC.

Johnson went into the final day in Mexico City four clear of Rory McIlroy having opened with rounds of 64, 67 and 66. Although Rory got as close as two behind in the early part of the round on Sunday, Johnson was never really challenged, and he cruised home to victory.

Dustin Johnson claimed a sixth WGC title

DJ, who won at Chapultepec in 2017, has now won twice in a row on the European Tour, given his win in the Saudi International powered by SBIA. The victory has pushed the American back up to second on the Official World Golf Ranking.

“This is a big one for me and it gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the year,” he said. “I feel like the game’s in good form right now.”

After a slightly nervy start, DJ made a couple of clutch par saves and received a controversial free drop from behind a tree, before finding his feet towards the end of the front nine. He pushed on through the back nine and he finished with a 66 to be an impressive 21-under-par for the week.

“I made some really good par saves early in the round on the front nine and that kind of gave me the momentum,” he said. “I knew I was still swinging it well, I just had to give myself some chances and turned it on on the back nine. Me and Rory both played a really good back nine.”

McIlroy made six birdies on the back nine as he closed with 67 to finish well clear in second place. The Norther Irishman has been on excellent form of late and he feels a return to the winner’s circle is just around the corner.

Rory McIlroy was runner-up in Mexico

“My game is right there, I’m really happy with everything,” he said. “I’ve just got to stay patient, look at the positives and just keep persisting, putting myself in positions and sooner or later it’ll go my way.”

Paul Casey and Ian Poulter finished in a tie for third with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat with Patrick Cantlay, Sergio Garcia and Cameron Smith tied for sixth.

Tiger Woods finished tied for 10th on eight-under-par.

WGC-Mexico Championship
Chapultepec GC, Mexico City, Mexico
21-24 February
Purse: $10,250,000 Par: 71

1 Dustin Johnson (USA) 64 67 66 66 263 $1,745,000
2 Rory McIlroy (NIR) 63 70 68 67 268 $1,095,000
T3 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 68 69 68 68 273 $472,000
T3 Paul Casey (Eng) 71 72 65 65 273 $472,000
T3 Ian Poulter (Eng) 68 68 69 68 273 $472,000
T6 Patrick Cantlay (USA) 72 67 65 70 274 $261,667
T6 Sergio Garcia (Esp) 69 66 69 70 274 $261,667
T6 Cameron Smith (Aus) 69 67 68 70 274 $261,667
9 Justin Thomas (USA) 66 73 74 62 275 $201,000
T10 Keegan Bradley (USA) 69 73 69 65 276 $161,500
T10 David Lipsky (USA) 68 71 68 69 276 $161,500
T10 Joost Luiten (Ned) 71 67 74 64 276 $161,500
T10 Tiger Woods (USA) 71 66 70 69 276 $161,500

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

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