Robert Rock rattles the grizzled veterans to land the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship title
This is incontestably the zenith of 34-year-old Englishman Robert Rock’s professional career as a golfer.
Wrestling against the top-ranked players in the world, apart from the 14-major-winner Tiger Woods who is experiencing a resurge in his career, the Armitage native surged to the top of the leaderboard in the final round to land his second European Tour title, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and a lucrative winner’s cheque of € 347,024.
"I really can't believe I have done that today." Rock said after taking over the likes of US Open champion Rory McIlroy, former world number one Woods and 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell.
"I was just very happy to be playing with Tiger. That's a special honour in itself." said a jubilant Rock who does not have a sponsor on his belt and played without a visor on his head, something quite abnormal in today’s field.
Having carded a brilliant round of six-under, 66 on the third day, Rock was firmly poised to land the title heading into the final round, but was never much hopeful in the presence of trailblazing golfers of his era.
He managed to stay in contention from the start of the day, pulling in three birdies on the opening six holes. He fell for a bogey at par-five, 8th and made the turn for another bogey on the 13th.
By this time McDowell has pulled in a stunning Ace on par-three, 12th and was looking good to take it all the way to the top.
Rock came back with two more birdies on the back and although he fell for another on the last hole, he was better than the rampaging McIlroy by one shot to lift the title.
"It's been a steady progression and I've worked hard, but I didn't think this would happen," Rock said.
Rock comes from a humble background and used to work at Swingers Golf Centre in Tamworth and admitted that he spent his time "selling Mars bars and watching Tiger win Majors".
McIlroy, who carded a round of three-under, 69, paid a heavy price for his penalty on the second day and had to settle for an outright second.
This is the second consecutive time McIlroy has finished second in the event on his fourth visit to the Middle Eastern turf.
Meanwhile Woods pulled in another strong finish testifying his resurging form and finished for a joint third.
Tags: