Rory McIlroy defended his Dubai Desert Classic title after beating Poland’s Adrian Meronk by one stroke.
The 34-year-old Northern Irishman hit par in the final to post a two-under 70, finishing at 14 under to win the tournament for a record fourth time.
American Cameron Young, the overnight leader, finished third, two shots behind, after his two-over score of 74.
McIlroy’s victory followed his second-place finish at the Dubai Invitational the previous weekend.
The world number two, playing only his second tournament since November, entered contention with a score of 63 under par in the third round, which brought him to 12 under for the tournament and two shots behind Young .
Three birdies on the front nine of his final round, and a single missed shot on the 13th, proved enough for McIlroy to continue his winning streak in a tournament that gave him his first professional victory in 2009.
Young’s challenge fell short with two early shots dropped, with three birdies in the back canceled out by three more bogeys for the 2022 Open runner-up.
McIlroy, meanwhile, made birdies on the second, eighth and ninth holes to reach the turn with a three-shot lead on 15 under.
Meronk, who started the day tied with McIlroy, notched another birdie at the third to keep pace with the four-time major winner.
The 30-year-old Pole appears to have lost the competition following a double bogey at the par-three seventh and a bogey at the ninth. But, after making three birdies in the first five holes of the back nine, coupled with McIlroy’s six at the par-five 13th, he came back to within one shot of the defending champion.
McIlroy scrambled the pars at the 14th, 15th and 16th, while Meronk, playing in the penultimate group, made a bogey on the par four 16th before fighting back to birdie the final and take a commanding lead. 13 cents at the clubhouse.
But McIlroy made par on his final two holes to close out the victory.