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Johnson holds off McIlroy to win WGC-Mexico Championship
MEXICO CITY, Feb 25, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Dustin Johnson captured his 20th US
PGA Tour title on Sunday, firing a five-under par 66 to beat Rory McIlroy by
five strokes in the final round of the WGC-Mexico Championship.
The 34-year-old American finished with a 21-under 263 total to win this
event at the Club de Golf Chapultepec for the second time in three seasons.
McIlroy closed with a 67 thanks to a a sizzling back nine — six birdies in
seven holes before a bogey at 18 — but it wasn’t enough catch red-hot
Johnson, who posted five of his six birdies on the back nine.
Johnson has won at least won US PGA event in 12th consecutive years, with
20th career win coming in his 246th start.
Englishmen Paul Casey and Ian Poulter shared third on 273, shooting 65 and
68 respectively in the fourth round, with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat,
who fired 68 to join the pack 10 off Johnson’s pace.
Sergio Garcia, Patrick Cantlay and Cameron Smith shot identical 70s and
shared sixth. Justin Thomas had the round of the day with a nine-under 62
which left him ninth.
In was another stroke back to Tiger Woods, who closed out his week with a
69 and tied for 10th with fellow Americans Keegan Bradley and David Lipsky
and Dutchman Joost Luiten.
Johnson got off to a tentative start with a bogey on the par-3 third hole
before making birdie on the par-5 sixth.
He kicked it into high gear on the back nine with back-to-back birdies on
the 10th and 11th holes and then strung together three birdies in a row
beginning at the par-4 14th.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0935 hrs