Patrick Reed came through the leading pack with four birdies in the final six holes at Chapultepec Golf Club to claim a second WGC title. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PATRICK Reed drowned out the ongoing criticisms over his bunkergate in the Bahamas to land his second World Golf Championships title in a thrilling finish in Mexico City.

Just when it looked as though Bryson DeChambeau, who has certainly public criticisms over his pace of play, was about to race to a first WGC title of his own, the final holes at Chapultepec Golf Club conspired to give Reed a race at the WGC-Mexico Championship.

Reed – who was accused of cheating by both Brooks Koepka and Paul Casey’s coach Peter Kostis in the build up the first WGC of the season – said: “It means a lot to win.

“One of our goals was to go out and win a golf tournament and try to get in that winner’s circle before Augusta.

“And to be able to go ahead and do it before I even got to the Florida Swing definitely gives me momentum and gives me the confidence that we’re playing really well.

“Now I just need to continue to grind, continue to work, and hopefully there’s more coming up soon,” added Reed, who was ranked World No. 14 going into the week.

“The putter was really hot. I felt like I was hitting a lot of really good putts, hitting it on my lines, and your speed has to be perfect. I felt like I was able to dial it in.

“It definitely helped me out today because I didn’t hit the ball that great on the front, had a lot of up-and-downs just to kind of hang around there.

“I knew if I was able to get a little hot with the ball-striking, I’d be able to rack up some birdies, and I was able to do that at the end.”

How Captain America emerged victorious despite ‘cheating’ calls

THE American Ryder Cup star – dubbed “Captain America” after his debut in 2016 at Hazeltine – emerged victorious from a battle that went one way and then the other.

DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Reed and Erik van Rooyen all shared the lead at the turn, while World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and overnight leader Justin Thomas were just a shot back.

Patrick Reed pulled clear though, picking up four birdies in six holes from the 12^th.

That left the 2018 Masters winner with a two-stroke advantage going down the last and – despite a wild tee shot on the par four 18^th – he managed to compose himself for a two-putt bogey to post 18-under in the penultimate group.

That four-under 67 handed Reed a one-shot victory in the same Championship at which he claimed his first WGC title in 2014 – when it was staged at Miami’s Doral resort.

Victory moved the 29-year-old to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings.

DeChambeau’s six-under 65 earned him outright second place, while Reed’s fellow European Tour members Rahm and van Rooyen shared third spot on 15-under.

Rahm claimed he was struggling by the turn and said: “I mean, it was going to be very easy to focus on the last few putts that weren’t good. It is what it is.

“But to be honest, I was not good through 27 holes. The fact I had no chance and shot 19-under after that, it’s pretty ridiculous.

“If anything, I’ve got to reflect on the first two days. I did give myself a chance, but my swing wasn’t feeling the best three out of four days, and today it showed.

“I kind of pulled it together, but it was hard to catch with Bryson making all those birdies. If anything, I had a chance, but I’ve got to focus more on the fact I should have given myself a better chance after the first few holes.”

First round leader McIlroy struggled to gain any momentum on the final day, but did continue his remarkably consistent recent form as he picked up a fifth successive top five – a run which began with his victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions, in Shanghai, in November.

McIlory said: “It was frustrating. I don’t feel like I got the best out of myself.

“Obviously I started the week well, and then I feel like I just hit some loose shots, and I didn’t putt as well as I needed to over the last three days.

“And I just let a few shots get away. I’m just looking forward to a week off. Looking forward to getting away for a little bit.”

•For final scores click here.

Van Rooyen happy to be in contention

ERIK van Rooyen found himself in exalted company, and having struggled when in contention in Europe over the last 18 months, was happy with the way the 30-year-old acquitted himself in contention for a WGC for the first time.

Van Rooyen: “I felt better than I did yesterday, and I think there was a lot more going on yesterday. I got off to a really good start again today. Ten and 12 obviously hurt quite bad.

“I think I played some really good golf the last four days, and I think I can hold my head high,” said the South African, whose first European Tour win came in the Scandinavian Invitation, in August.

“I mean, there’s still so much to play for. Yes, we all want to win, but at the same time, I’m trying to finish as high as I possibly can, so I’m not going to go lie down after a bogey.

“I think we had a really good finish, gave myself a few good chances coming down the stretch, and my game is in great shape. I’m looking forward to the next one,” added van Rooyen.

Keopka and Kostis call out Reed over ‘cheating’

BROOKS Koepka claimed Patrick Reed had “built sandcastles” during the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December.

The winner of last year’s USPGA title told SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio: “Yeah. I don’t know what he was doing, building sand castles in the sand.

“But you know where your club is. I took three months off and I can promise you I know if I touch sand.

“If you look at the video, obviously he grazes the sand twice and then he still chops down on it.”

Reed was tackled over the comments about his behaviour at the end of the first round in Mexcio.

“I said what I have to say about what happened in the Bahamas, and at the end of the day, all I’m trying to do is go out and play good golf and trying to win a golf championship and hopefully run [leader Rory McIlroy] down,” said Reed, who was also made fun of by his team-mates during practice at The Presidents Cup.

There was also an ugly scene where Reed’s caddie Kessler Karain intervened to deal with a heckling spectator during the third day’s play, and was removed from the competition after the confrontation, forcing Reed’s coach Kevin Kirk to go on the bag for the Sunday singles.

Even worse, Kostis, who has been a CBS on course regular for many years until this season, was even more scathing telling the No Laying Up podcast Kostis added, “I’ve seen Patrick Reed improve his lie, up close and personal, four times now.”

But whatever anyone’s take on the rights and wrongs of Reed’s behaviour on the course, it appears to be water off a duck’s back.

The spotlight over his integrity appears to have given him an even thicker hide with which to block out the pressures of trying to win one of the biggest titles in world golf.

What the Augusta crowds, let alone the Augusta National Golf Club will make of Reed in less than two months’ time is anyone’s guess.

The post Nothing ruffles Patrick Reed who claims second WGC title down Mexico way appeared first on Golf North.

Second round leader Eddie Pepperell has been putting better after switching to the claw grip. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

OXFORDSHIRE’S EDDIE Pepperell was happy putting his faith in feeling his way around Emirates Golf Club.

The two-time Euorpean Tour winner carded a round of 67 to take a one-shot lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic after 36 holes.

Lighter winds made for better scoring in round two and the Frilford Heath member took advantage of the morning condiitions to move to eight-under.

Pepperell, who is looking for a second win in the Middle East after his maiden victory at the Commerical Bank Qatar Masters nearly two years ago, said: “I’ve played with swing feels for a few years.

“I have a couple of drills that have given me some quite strong ones and that’s where I’ve had a lot of success, to be honest.

“It might look very technical with me but believe it, or not, in my mind it doesn’t feel that way.

“At least certainly when I’m doing pretty good, because it’s all about feeling.

“I felt more calm today, I would say. Actually, I would tend to feel more calm as the week goes on at most tournaments,” added the 28-year-old, from Abingdon, who played junior golf at Drayton Park.

“I was happy with how I was feeling early and I got off to a nice start.

“For the most part it was very, very good until the cameras came along. I must have been concerned with how I was looking, because then I started struggling.

“When I looked at my putting in the past I’ve always felt that when I look at my set-up I’ve never looked that comfortable.

“Regardless of what your hands are doing on the grip, great putters tend to look quite comfortable.

“So that’s one thing I’ve never liked about my setup. It’s been very good the past two days and I’ve been surprised with how good it’s been.

“If I can keep doing that over the weekend, with what I’ve been doing with the swing, I think I’m going to make plenty of birdies which would be great.”

Pepperell who has vastly experienced caddy Micky Doran on the bag, has missed his last two cuts and has gone back to some old drills.

He switched to a claw putting grip as he looks to kickstart his 2020 Race to Dubai campaign after wathching Lee Westwood find some form on the greens on the way to his 25th career win in Abu Dhabi, last week.

The 2018 British Masters champion is a shot clear of defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, South African Dean Burmester and Sweden’s Robert Karlsson heading into the weekend.

DeChambeau would love to repeat his win of 12 months ago and then go on to win the Masters as Danny Willett did in 2016 and Sergio Garcia in 2017 after claiming the Dubai title.

“My wedge game has been immaculate, my putting has been – for the most part – a success, and iron play has kept me in the proper place,” said DeChambeau.

“Hit a couple of nice drives today and getting better with my driving. Just got to iron out a couple more things when the pressure gets to me, or certain situations occur.

DeChambeau spent time after the FedEx Tour Championship in August bulking up in the gym, piling on the pounds, in a bid to give him extra yards off the tee.

And DeChambeau revealed: “Well it has opened new boundaries that I never thought were possible.

“I don’t know necessarily how to control all of it yet.

But I’m getting to the place where I’m starting to learn with driver I need, under the gun – in certain conditions, a left-to-right wind, a right-to-left wind, what to do, and how to apply that power in a way that’s going to keep me in the fairway, and allow me to have more scoring opportunities.

“It’s a gigantic leap for me,” said DeChambeau, who has also addressed the criticism of some – including World No. 1 Brooks Koepka about his “slow play.”

“I would say it is about getting just more comfortable on the golf course, recognising the fact that I’m not perfect.

“I make mistakes and I made mistakes in the past but working on improving everything.

“That’s my whole goal for the game of golf is not only to make myself a better player – but to have people have a more enjoyable experience when I’m around.

“And that’s really what I’m trying to do, so I don’t bother anybody on the golf course, that’s the last thing I want to do.

“I made it a point to work on it and I’ve gotten a little bit better and I think it shows.”

Meanwhile Burmester revealed he has adopted a new mental attitude after being involved in a car accident ahead of the tournament.

His family were also involved in the collision on Wednesday, with all members thankfully escaping with only minor injuries.

Burmester said: “The accident was pretty hectic. We went to the aquarium and on our way back we took an Uber on the way back to the hotel.

“There was traffic on the other side of a blind rise and so we went into the back of a Porsche.

“There were four cars involved, but luckily we just got away with a couple of bumps and bruises and just thank God that we’re all okay.

“I think for the most part I putted really well and I’ve just been consistent trying to hit fairways, because the rough’s quite deep.

“So, for me to hit fairways is pretty good. I think the major difference is probably my mental attitude towards it.

“After the car accident you realise what’s important in life and I think I was taking golf a little too seriously.

“So I just kind of relaxed and looked at the family. We’re just enjoying our time, so that’s been the biggest difference.”

A sore ankle did not look to bother him as he carded a round of 68 putting himself in contention heading into the weekend.

Karlsson seeks first win in a decade

ROBERT Karlsson was the first Swede to be crowned European No. 1 after claiming the Order of Merit in 2008, the year before the introduction of the Race to Dubai.

The tall Scandinavian, who turned 50 in September, is putting his energy into his search for a first win since 2010 – when he claimed the Dubai World Championship in 2010, beating Ian Poulter in a play-off.

A victory just over nine years later would put him in the category of over 50s winners on the European Tour alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez – only three players have achieved that feat in the PGA Tour’s history.

Karlsson, who played in the 2006 and 2008 Ryder Cups, said: “Yesterday, on a very tough day, I kept the ball in play and when I missed I was a little bit lucky.

“I hit it in the fairway bunkers instead of the rough and I holed a lot of important putts.

“Today I actually hit more fairways and it was obviously much nicer weather. I played nicely.

“The tricky thing is we had a couple of years where they set it up a little bit nicer around the greens, with less rough.

“I think players want to have a bit tougher conditions and I’m very, very happy the way that they set it up.

“That’s been my personal response from the players. The problem on this golf course is there’s a lot of doglegs where you cut across, so it’s really hard to hit fairways on holes like one and six and 18.

“But everybody knows it and you play for it, so, but I like it.”

Frenchman Romain Langasque and China’s Wu Ashun are two shots off the lead at six-under, a shot clear of South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, German Sebastian Heisele, American Kurt Kitayama and another Frenchman in Victor Perez.

Tommy Fleetwood fired the lowest score of the day with an impressive round of 65, edging his way back up the leaderboard to head the chasing pack at four-under, thanks to a strong putting display.

First-round leader Thomas Pieters could not repeat his birdie fest of 24 hours earlier, taking 10 shots more after an opening 67.

•To follow live scoring in the third round click here.

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Thomas Pieters racked up eight birdies at the Emirates Golf Club to lead the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on five-under in much tougher conditions. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

THOMAS Pieters fired eight birdies in an impressive round of 67 to open up a one-shot lead in the first round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Much thicker rough than normal and a testing wind made Emirates Golf Club a sterner challenge than in recent years.

But the Belgian made a strong start as he chases his fifth European Tour win off the back of a tied 30th result last week in Abu Dhabi.

The 27-year-old was quickly the man to catch after starting on the 10th, making birdies on his opener, the 11th, 13th, 15th and 18th.

A double bogey on the first knocked him back and when he followed it with a dropped shot on the next, he had gone from one in front to two behind.

But the Ryder Cup star birdied the fifth and sixth before hitting a beautiful tee shot into the seventh for his third two of the round to edge a shot ahead of the field.

Pieters, who won the 2016 Made in Denmark to seal his place in Darren Clarke’s European Ryder Cup team at Hazetline, said: “My drives and three woods weren’t very good.

“But somehow I found the greens and if I did hit a fairway, I took advantage of it.

“I played the par threes very well. So that means I’m hitting my irons pretty good as I did last week and I just rolled in a few putts, which was nice.

“I’ve been working on my putting real hard, and I just hope to see some progress.

“I saw that today. Hopefully we can keep it up. I know I’m hitting the ball quite nice, and I’m just looking forward to the next three days.

“There was nothing easy about today, but I found 14 greens, which is always nice in these kind of conditions.”

Thomas Pieters admitted it was hard to guage how much progress he had made over the winter break so early in the season.

“You don’t know what to expect, even though you’ve put the work in,” said Pieters.

“That competitive mind-set sometimes takes awhile to kick in. But today was, I think, one of my better rounds of the year.”

American David Lipsky led the way early in the day with five birdies and a single dropped shot to get to four-under.

Lipsky said: “ I hit a lot of fairways and greens, and out here with the way the rough is, and how firm the greens are, you’ve got hit fairways to attack pins.

“The greens are so firm that coming into the greens from the rough is really tough.

“I was fortunate. I was first off so the wind died down my first six, seven holes – took advantage of those.

“With how tight the fairways are, and how they are always at angles, finding the fairways is tough out here and that’s key.

“I just want to put myself in contention more often, with a little bit more consistency to my game.

“I worked really hard in the off-season with my swing coach and I’m seeing it play dividends right now.”

Lipsky sits one-shot clear of a large chasing pack that includes countryman Kurt Kitayama, Oxfordshire’s Eddie Pepperell,

Pepperell, whose second European Tour win came in the 2018 British Masters at Walton Heath, said: “I’m really happy with that.

“It was clear early on it was going to be very, very challenging,” added Eddie, whose breakthrough win came in Qatar two years ago.

“I played a good round of golf today and proud of that – if you know my record on Thursdays.

“It was, I imagine, fun to watch. The course has gone from being a five-under cut to, I suspect, being a couple-over cut,” added Pepperell, who signed a contract to switch to Ping clubs earlier this month.

The 28-year-old, from Abingdon, has also adopted a new putting grip this week.

“The claw grip was inspired a little by Lee Westwood. I must say, I’ve been struggling with the greens,” he said.

“I’ve never been a good putter on Tour, but for me, it’s about not being a terrible putter.

“I was watching the golf last Sunday and I couldn’t believe how comfortable Lee looked on the short putts, especially.

“I thought, I might as well give this a try. I was very good today inside six-eight feet. So I’m optimistic. Best I’ve putted for a while.”

Tied alongside the Frilford Heath member is Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, and Dane Søren Kjeldsen, who made his 600th European Tour appearance last week.

Defending champ DeChambeau: It’s tough

DEFENDING champion Bryson DeChambeau is at two-under after an opening round of 70 left him a shot ahead of Major Champions Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington and Louis Oosthuizen.

DeChambeau said: “It’s a very, very good test of golf and you have to make sure your wedge game is on, and your iron play is on.

“It’s playing at least four shots harder a day,” said the former US Amateur Champion, comparing the first round to last year when he won outside America for the first time.

DeChambeau, who won four times in the States in 2018, added: “Iron play was great out of the rough and the fairway, and my wedge game around the greens was impeccable.

“Stuff I’m doing there is awesome. I’m putting still really well. I feel like I’m rolling it on my line except one putt on six today.

“Other than that, it was pretty much smooth sailing and still working on the driver. That’s a work-in-progress, but it will be a work-in-progress until I get the right stuff in my hands.”

•To follow Thomas Pieters and the rest of the field in round two click here for live scoring.

The post Thomas Pieters fires eight birdies despite tougher set up at Dubai Desert Classic appeared first on Golf North.

Bryson DeChambeau wants a good week in Dubai to be a springboard for glory in the Major Championships in 2020. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BRYSON DeChambeau is hopeful a successful defence of his title at this week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic can act as a springboard for glory in the 2020 Major Championships.

The American stormed to a dominant seven-shot victory at Emirates Golf Club in 2019, to claim his first European Tour title – and add to his growing list of career achievements.

The 26-year-old has won the US Amateur and lifted trophies as a professional on both sides of the Atlantic.

But the player dubbed the “Mad Scientist” has yet to make a splash in golf’s four biggest events – while four winners of the Dubai Desert Classic have won a Major in the same season, including Tiger Woods twice in 2006 and 2008, and Ernie Els, in 2002.

The Ryder Cup star’s best finish in 14 Majors has been a tie for 15th at the 2016 US Open Championship at Oakmont.

But he is determined to improve on that record this summer and knows that two of the winners of this week’s Dubai event have gone on to claim the Green Jacket at the Masters just a couple of months later.

DeChambeau said: “I’m honoured to be back. I love this city. I think it’s an incredible place, and desert golf has always suited my style of play.

“I’d say all in all, it’s one of my favourite places to be, just because of how technologically advanced I feel like the place is, and the golf course is in immaculate shape.

“The greens are perfect. The rough is longer this year, which is pretty interesting and I also just love hitting it off the fairways out here.

“It’s a lot of great fun, and a lot of scoring opportunities. So for me, it’s a great test of golf and I had a lot of fun last year. Let’s hopefully do it again.

“Last year, I didn’t drive it my absolute best but I was still able to get it done.

“It’s going to take great ball-striking, iron play, and making a lot of putts.

“My wedge game is much improved I feel like and personally I’m looking forward to the new test this week.

“The rough is a little bit longer, so being in the fairway is going to be key, and if you have a great wedge game, you can get up-and-down and fix those mistakes you have, it’s definitely a viable option to win.

“All of my mind is taken up for the need to do well in the Majors. That’s what I haven’t done well in particular in my career so far, and I am keen on changing that.”

Stenson and Garcia keen to join Lee Westwood in the Roaring Forties

MEANWHILE Major Champions Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia are looking to keep the flag flying for the over 40s following Lee Westwood’s impressive victory in Abu Dhabi last week.

The Nottinghamshire ace from Worksop secured his 25th European Tour title at the age of 46, and he is the latest player to prove that age is just a number after win number four in his 40s.

That win matched the number recorded by Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie in their final decade before moving over to the Seniors Tour.

Montgomerie is labelled with the tag of no victories in the Major Championships, while Langer won the Masters twice in 1985 and 1993.

Stenson was 40 when he won The Open Championship at Royal Troon and, now aged 43, returned to the winner’s circle with victory in the Bahamas in December.

The Swede arrives in the Middle East from Singapore and insists he has plenty more miles left on the clock at the top of the game as he seeks to add to his success in the Major Championships.

Stenson said: “The golf course doesn’t know if you’re 20, 30 or 40 when you’re teeing it up, right?

“It’s all about bringing as good a game as you can do and we know experience is a good part in this game, to have played it in different conditions over the years and different courses and all the rest.

“At times we can’t really compete with the longest players in the game but we can compete with other factors and, of course, that’s something we try to do as good as we can.

“We certainly keep the dreams alive of winning golf tournaments,” added Stenson.

“I don’t know if it’s down to possibly swing, if your swing is not taking too much toll on your body and not wearing your back down too much, you probably can keep it going.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on the physical side the last 10 years to try and buy myself some extra time – and for recovery and practice and everything else.”

Garcia, a winner of the event in 2017, only turned 40 earlier this month so is still looking for a first win of this decade and would also relish more success in the Major Championships.

But the Spaniard – who won in Dubai before claiming his first Green Jacket three months later in 2017, as did Danny Willett 12 months before that – is confident he can take on the young guns.

Garcia said: “We know it’s not easy as you keep adding on numbers to your ID, but we go out there and we practice hard and we try to stay fit and play the best we can.

“We believe in ourselves, we believe that we’re good enough. I feel like we show it pretty much week-in, week-out.

“It gets tougher every year because there’s a lot of good youngsters coming out both in Europe and on the PGA Tour.

“But we can still go out there and perform well. We are competitors and we love to compete and challenge ourselves and that’s what we try to do.’

•For live scoring in the first round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic click here.

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Brooks Koepka will play for the first time since the CJ Cup in South Korea when he tees it up in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this week. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

WORLD No. 1 Brooks Koepka is keen to add a Rolex Series title to his already impressive CV, as he makes his comeback from a knee injury at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after missing last month’s Presidents Cup.

The four-time Major winner returns to Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the third time – having secured a top-10 finish at the venue two years ago – for the first of eight Rolex Series events on the 2020 Race to Dubai.

The American is competing for the first time in three months, after withdrawing from the Presidents Cup squad to have knee surgery.

Koepka, who claimed his his first US Open at Erin Hills in 2017, said: “These Rolex Series events are where you have more emphasis on winning. It’s what you want to win.

“The players that are playing in this event are obviously really good – some of the best players in the world. That’s why I think everyone’s here.

“You want to play in the best events you can and win them,” added Koepka, who spent three years playing on the Challenge and European Tour before earning his card on the PGA Tour with a fourth place finish in the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst.

“I love this place, it’s always fun to get back to. The golf course is really good. I feel comfortable here and hopefully play well this week, said Koepka, who claimed three wins on the Challenge Tour in 2013.

“I’m just excited to hit balls,” said Brooks, who has had to to miss nearly three months golf after damaging his kneecap at the CJ Cup, in South Korea, in October.

“In Korea I re-tore it, and the kneecap had moved into the fat pad. That’s excruciating. It’s a lot of pain. It’s not fun,” said Koepka, who first injured his knee back in March – but still managed to win his second Wannamaker Trophy at Bethpage Black, less than two months later.

He required stem cell treatment after the Tour Championship at East Lake, in August, before hurting it again on the PGA Tour’s Asian swing.

He pulled out of the trip to Australia for the Presidents Cup three weeks before the biennial event got under way – handing his spot to Rickie Fowler.

“Last year, there wasn’t much practise. I just couldn’t do it with my knee. I couldn’t get on my left side,” said the Florida State University graduate.

“Couldn’t squat down in a bunker. I struggled to get down and read a putt. Thankfully that’s in the past now.

“When you have something taken away from you, I think it makes you appreciate it more,” said Koepka, who has questioned how much respect he was shown after a run that saw him win four majors in just eight tournaments played.

While he admitted his left knee may not be as good as his right for some time still, he is raring to go having only been given the green light to hit balls just before Christmas.

“I mean, I missed competition,” said last year’s WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational winner.

“Even when I got the green light, I just didn’t know whether it was going to feel right – whether you’re going to be the same, how is it going to feel.

“I missed showing up to an event, preparing for something, because I haven’t had anything to prepare for. Having three months off, it’s not fun.”

This week’s event sees the European Tour’s new tougher regulations aimed at tackling slow play come into effect including a key revision to the four-point plan previously announced in August.

Players will be now be given an immediate one-shot penalty for two ‘bad times’ in a tournament rather than for two ‘bad times’ within a round.

Koepka was an outspoken critic of J B Holmes in particular at Riveria, last year, after the pair went head to head in the Sunday shootout, which Holmes won.

“I think it’s a good thing,” he said about the new four-point plan, which will target the “worst offenders” in terms of slow play.

“I think the game’s changing and I think the rules need to kind of change with it.

“It’s got to evolve as we evolve, the courses evolve and technology, everything like that.

“They are trying to make the game a lot simpler. We’re on our way to making it easier to understand for the fans at home, the players.

“It’s very clear-cut what’s going to happen and very clear-cut what you need to do,” said Koepka, whose last win in a regular European Tour event came in the 2014 Turkish Open.

The Florida ace, who won both the US Open and USPGA back-to-back in 2018 and 2019 respectively, is joined in the field by compatriots Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Cantlay.

DeChambeau was also a member of Tiger Woods’ winning Presidents Cup team.

He is also targeting a maiden Rolex Series victory this week, and “The Scientist” has form in the desert after capturing his first European Tour win in Dubai last season.

DeChambeau, who has been criticised for taking too long with his very methodical pre-shot routines, is focusing on adding to his sole European Tour win in Dubai, in 2019.

“For me, having this be a Rolex Series event and having it be this important, it’s fantastic,” said DeChambeau who won four times in the States in 2018, and has recently bulked up his physique.

“Every tournament I play in, I still go in with the mind-set that I’m going to win and do my absolute best to win.

“It’s a great preparation for the rest of the year. It’s going to tell me what’s going right and what’s going wrong, and I’m going to try to bring my ‘A-game’ to every single event that I play.

“Playing globally, being a part of global golf, is definitely on my list. I want to be able to say that I can win worldwide, which I’ve done.

“Now I won last year in Dubai. I want to win multiple times, and I also want to grow the game globally.”

Cantlay determined to become player on the world stage after Fowler’s tips on Abu Dhabi

MEANWHILE, World No. 6 Patrick Cantlay is competing in his first European Tour event outside of the Majors and World Golf Championships.

The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) graduate is also keen to build his reputation as a global player with victory in Abu Dhabi.P

Cantlay, who made his debut in America’s Presidents Cup win against Ernie Els’ International team, at Royal Melbourne, in December said: “I think it’s important to play all over the world, not only just for growing-the-game purposes.

“But I think it’s good as a golfer to see different places and get comfortable playing all over. I think that’s part of it.

“The European Tour and the PGA Tour play more of a global schedule, especially in the last decade,” added the two-time PGA Tour winner.

“I don’t think that’s going to change. I think it will continue to be more of a global game, and we see that with the World Golf Championships,” said Cantlay.

“I think it’s all good, and it’s good to play in different places and experience different cultures and see what the world is like.

“I talked to Rickie Fowler. He said he enjoyed his time here. Obviously he won – he told me how great a list of champions this place had, kind of needling me a little bit.

“I’ve heard a lot of great things about the event,” added the 27-year-old, who was on the losing USA team against Great Britain and Ireland in the 2011 Walker Cup.

Cantlay lost both his singles matches to Scotland’s Michael Stewart and Ireland’s Paul Cutler but beat Wentworth’s Steve Brown, the recent winner of the Portugal Masters, in the Saturday foursomes at Royal Aberdeen.

But his Presidents Cup debut will be more memorable after the rookie claimed three points in his five matches as the USA won 16-14 after a fightback in the Sunday singles.

•For first round tee times in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship click here.

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Bryson DeChambeau matched the fireworks of last year’s US Open and PGA Champion Brooks Koepka by firing a superb 66 to lead the Masters at Augusta after the first round . Picture by GETTY IMAGES.

BRYSON DeChambeau produced an incredible finish, posting four closing birdies to share the lead with Brooks Koepka at six-under par the end of day one at the Masters.

A remarkable run of scoring in the late groups stretched the field at Augusta National Golf Club, with DeChambeau amongst a host of European Tour players in the mix going into Friday at the first Major Championship of the year.

South African debutant Justin Harding was one of the players who had set the target at three-under early in the day.

And for a long time it looked like there would be a highly congested leaderboard as a nine-way tie for the lead developed.

But four birdies in a row from the 12th hole from Koepka moved the three-time Major champion to six-under and into a two-shot lead.

DeChambeau’s incredible finish saw him catch his fellow American, thanks in part to a wonderful second shot on the 18^th where he was only denied an eagle by the pin flag.

The player, known as “The Mad Scientist” for his quirky mathematical approach to golf, signed for a 66  – his best round at Augusta National.

Meanwhile Koepka, playing behind his rival who has won five times since last June, parred his way home to record the only bogey-free round of the day and share top spot.

The winner of the Dubai Desert Classic – the same route to the Green Jacket taken by Sergio Garcia in 2017 and Danny Willett in 2016 – said “It’s my best round out here, a 66.

“I was just looking to shoot something in the 60s this week because I haven’t done that yet in my couple times playing here.

“What a magical back nine.  Wind started to pick up, right around Amen Corner, and it was tough.  It was not easy one bit.” Bryson added.

“But we just stuck to what we knew we should have done, and we did, and was able to execute a beautiful nine-iron on 12 that kind of jump started my back nine, hitting it to five feet, making that putt got me rolling.

“I should have pulled the flagstick out (on the 18^th). But no, it was a great shot, and I was excited just to tap‑in to finish off a great round.”

Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson birdied five of his last seven holes to sit one shot off the lead at five-under, a shot clear of fellow American Dustin Johnson and Woburn’s Ian Poulter.

The honorary member at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club where he started life in the pro shop, said: “I’m very happy with today’s work. It’s a great start to a long week.

“The weather is going to be interesting over the next three days with the thunderstorms coming in,” said Poulter.

“The course dried out nicely today.  A couple of greens may have been a touch slower than what we’ve previously had in the past on a Thursday.

“But I’m happy with that and feel pretty good about it. My whole game was together, from the first hole to the 18th hole.

“I mean I only missed two greens in regulation, I think.  One of them was nine.  I made bogey there.

“And the other green I missed I was kind of 12 feet from the pin and just on the fringe.  So really my putting all around today was extremely solid. I need to do that over the next few days.”

Harding – who has won five times worldwide in the last year, including his maiden European Tour title at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters – is joined at three-under par by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kevin Kisner of the United States, Australian Adam Scott and Spain’s Jon Rahm.

South African Harding, who played a practice round with 2011 Green Jacket winner Charl Schwartzel earlier in the week, said: “I was happy with it, I handled my emotions pretty well, a bit annoying on the last making bogey.  But at the end of the day I’ll take it.

“Golf is purely momentum based.  If you take enough confidence into the rounds then you’re bound to play well.

“You just pretty much need to get out of your own way. I’ll take it and run if I can – we’re not allowed to run here at Augusta – but I’m pleased.

“It’s one of those where I gave myself a couple chances, I didn’t feel like I took great advantage of the par fives.

“I managed to hit a wedge close in on 16 but other than that it was one of those where you just kind of sneak in a birdie here or there where you can.

“I managed to hit a couple of fairways.  I’m still learning and this golf course is difficult.”

Rahm, who finished fourth last year and has since made his debut for Europe in the Ryder Cup thrashing handed out to the Americans in Paris last year, has made a great start to 2019 with five top 10s in eight starts.

The Spaniard said: “I think that the most important thing is I never lost patience.

“I was one over par on the par fives going to the back nine where it’s easy to get a little frustrated and I didn’t.

“I kept my cool and I was able to make a great birdie on nine and get where I’m going.

“It’s tough out there, they made a few changes to the golf course, they put some tough pins early in the day already, the greens started getting progressively firmer, so just being able to make a couple good putts and shoot under par is a good round.”

Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, who is also making his debut at Augusta – having reached the last four of the WGC World Match Play in Texas two weeks ago – and The Open champion Francesco Molinari are among a group of 10 players at two-under.

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