Patrick Reed claimed victory in the WGC-Mexico Championship last night on the PGA Tour, with Rory McIlroy earning his fifth top-five finish in as many starts this season.
2018 Masters champion Reed hit a final round 67 in Mexico City to finish on 18-under and beat fellow American Bryson DeChambeau by a stroke.
World number one Rory McIlroy settled for fifth after hitting a 68 on day four to leave him four shots behind Reed.
Shane Lowry ended back on three-under after a solid final 69, with Graeme McDowell towards the back of the field on 13-over.
Justin Thomas had led heading into the final round, although he hit a disappointing 73 to end five shots off the pace.
Reed, who lost a playoff at the Sentry Tournament of Champions to Thomas last month, said he was delighted to have played his way over the finishing line on this occasion at Club de Golf Chapultepec.
“I felt like I had something to prove to myself coming into this week, because I feel like I’ve been playing some really solid golf and just haven’t quite gotten over that hump to get the W.
8 wins before the age of 30. @PReedGolf adds another trophy to the case. 🏆#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/kBfvG9cMMH
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 24, 2020
“You’re going to hit some great putts that are going to miss, and you’re going to hit some bad putts that go in. I’m rolling it really well, and my eyes were working really well.
“I missed a lot of greens. Had to get up and down on the whole front nine. And seeing all those birdies (being posted by DeChambeau in the group in front of them) Kessler was able to pull me back and say, ‘Hey, quit pressing, quit trying to go for everything. Get the ball on the green. Your putter has been working all week, and let’s leave it up to the putter.”
Jon Rahm hit a final round of 67 to share third place with South Africa's Erik van Rooyen, who had his best-ever result on the PGA Tour.
Reed has come in for criticism and accusations of cheating after appearing to improve his lie in a bunker by moving sand on his backswing practice at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December.
Just this month four-time Major winner Brooks Koepka weighed in on the controversy, acknowledging he felt Reed had cheated.
“Yeah. I mean, I don’t know what he was doing, building sandcastles in the sand. You know where your club is.
"I mean, I took three months off, and I can promise you I know if I touched sand. ... It’s one of these things where you know. If you look at the video, obviously he grazes the sand twice and then he still chops down on it.”
