Ancer Leads From Start To Finish To Capture Saudi International

1 year ago by Comments Off on Ancer Leads From Start To Finish To Capture Saudi International

… Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia

Texas-based Mexican Abraham Ancer has led from start to finish to capture the fifth anniversary hosting of the Saudi International.

Ancer, who turns 32 later this month, was never headed in posting scores of an opening round of an equal course record 63 along with additional scores of 66, 64 and a closing 68 to win by two shots with a 19-under-par winning tally in glorious conditions on the Royal Greens course.

The win in Ancer’s fourth pro career success having captured the 2015 Novia Scotia Open on the PGA Tour’s secondary Web.com tour, the 2018 Emirates Australian Open and 2021 WGC – FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

That’s also four wins on four different tours.

Ancer collected a $US 1m first prize cheque while the win should see the LIV golfer jump 10 places to the likely new World No. 27 though that will depend on the outcome of the weather affected PGA Tour AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Whatever his new ranking the Mexican already is assured of a fourth successive Masters tee-time by behind inside the top-50 on the World Rankings at the close of 2022.

The PGA Tour’s Cameron Young, who needed a ‘release’ to compete in Saudi Arabia, finished a gallant second in signing also for a 68 for a 17-under tally.

Young commenced the final round two shots behind Ancer and, in fact tied the lead at 19-under with four birdies in his opening seven holes but it proved the highwater mark of his challenge when he bogeyed the par-3 eighth hole.

There was a two-shot swing in Ancer’s favour at the birdied the downwind par-4 17th and Young bogeyed that saw Ancer head down the 72nd leading by three at 20-under only for him to drop a shot on 18 but still good enough to secure a two-shot win.

The World No. 17 ranked Young will trade places with Jordan Spieth moving up one place to the new No. 16 for his efforts in Saudi.

Aussie Lucas Herbert, who needed a release from both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, secured his second straight third place finish in recording a closing round 65 for a 15-under tally.

Though Herbert’s quest for success was not helped when he doubled the second hole.

 

 



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