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DraftKings preview: John Deere Classic

Next up for the PGA TOUR is the John Deere Classic from Silvis, Illinois where opportunity exists for golfers and daily fantasy players alike. TPC Deere Run will play as a par 71, measuring 7,289 yards and be putt on bentgrass greens. The field is 156 players, with the cut coming at the top 65 and ties. Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $800K Pitch + Putt [$200K to 1st] STRATEGY Webb Simpson ($10,600), Cam Davis ($8,400), Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($9,100) and Sahith Theegala ($10,100) will be looking to play well at TPC Deere Run, which is one of the lowest scoring courses on TOUR. Nine of the previous 13 winning scores have been more than 20-under par, with an average winning score of 21-22 under par over the past five events. The priority here is to make a ton of birdies and avoid any possibility of dropping strokes. Strokes Gained: Approach the Green is always a priority, but digging deeper, golfers who are strong with their wedges have fared well at this tournament before. Last season’s winner Lucas Glover ($8,300) mentioned, “I wedged it very nice today and putted well, which you have to do here, because you get a lot of opportunities, and distance control is pretty important … .” Other key stats to focus on are driving accuracy, par 4 scoring and par 5 scoring on holes between 550-600 yards, with all three on the scorecard falling in this distance range. Lineup construction can be a little tricky this week. Last season and 2019, the winners used the entire $50,000 salary cap. In 2018, the top lineup used just $49,000, with four golfers under $7,600. Based on the previous three years, there isn’t a daily fantasy lineup build that we should skew towards. Also, we shouldn’t see any outrageously high ownership on golfers this week, but the trends point to some dos and don’ts this week. When we look over the same timeframe as above, only one golfer in the winning lineup was roster over 16% (Patton Kizzire, 17.2%, 2021), but nine (50%) had double-digit roster percentages, meaning you don’t have to stay away from the chalk altogether this week. GOLFERS TO CONSIDER Adam Schenk ($7,700) TPC River Highlands is very similar to this week, and although Schenk missed the cut in Cromwell, Connecticut, he played much better on Friday than Thursday, gaining a stroke off the tee and nearly a stroke on approach. He hit 94% of his greens in regulation and almost 80% of his fairways in the second-round last week. He’s now gained strokes Tee to Green in his three previous starts and has tremendous finishes here of fourth (2021), where he ranked second in putting that week (+7.8), and sixth (2019), finishing second in strokes gained tee to green (+9.9). Schenk’s Midwest ties (born in Indiana) should make him feel comfortable playing in this part of the country, and hopefully, his putting success here last season can help with some of the recent troubles he’s encountered on the greens. John Huh ($7,800) also deserves a ton of consideration given how he’s playing, ranking top five in birdies or better gained and DKFP over the previous 12 rounds. Austin Smotherman ($7,000) Like Schenk, Smotherman could not make the cut last week but has put together an excellent resume in his rookie season, with three top-25 finishes and an 11th-place finish in 18 starts. He’s solid with his wedges, ranking 20th in proximity from 100 to 125 yards over the previous 24 rounds, and is scoring well, ranking 14th in birdies or better gained over the last dozen rounds. Smotherman racked up a win and three top 5s on the Korn Ferry Tour last season, so he’s used to playing in conditions where you need to make birdies in bunches. Some of my other favorite daily fantasy sleepers this week are Robert Streb ($6,600), who’s been inside the top 10 in par 5 scoring for the past 50 rounds, and Chris Stroud ($6,500), who’s only missed the cut once (2016), and has two top-5 finishes (2019, 2015) and a top 20 (2017) in his last five starts here. Stroud hasn’t played on TOUR since February, which is slightly alarming, but you don’t need to be heavily exposed to him at his price or projected roster percentage. Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $800K Pitch + Putt [$200K to 1st] Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game. All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests. The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600 (ONT), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY; 19+ ONT). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/ONT/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. DraftKings operates pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario. Please play responsibly.

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Cameron Champ
Type: Cameron Champ - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-120
Top 10 Finish-275
Top 20 Finish-750
Nick Taylor
Type: Nick Taylor - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+135
Top 10 Finish-175
Top 20 Finish-500
Shane Lowry
Type: Shane Lowry - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+140
Top 10 Finish-175
Top 20 Finish-500
Thorbjorn Olesen
Type: Thorbjorn Olesen - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-115
Top 10 Finish-250
Top 20 Finish-625
Andrew Putnam
Type: Andrew Putnam - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+140
Top 10 Finish-165
Top 20 Finish-500
Sam Burns
Type: Sam Burns - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+150
Top 10 Finish-155
Top 20 Finish-455
Taylor Pendrith
Type: Taylor Pendrith - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+250
Top 10 Finish+105
Top 20 Finish-275
Ryan Fox
Type: Ryan Fox - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+250
Top 10 Finish+110
Top 20 Finish-275
Jake Knapp
Type: Jake Knapp - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+260
Top 10 Finish+115
Top 20 Finish-250
Rasmus Hojgaard
Type: Rasmus Hojgaard - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+400
Top 10 Finish+175
Top 20 Finish-165
ShopRite LPGA Classic
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Akie Iwai+650
Ayaka Furue+650
Rio Takeda+850
Elizabeth Szokol+900
Jeeno Thitikul+900
Mao Saigo+1200
Chisato Iwai+1800
Ashleigh Buhai+2200
Miyu Yamashita+2200
Wei Ling Hsu+2800
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3rd Round Match Up - C. Conners v L. Aberg
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Ludvig Aberg-115
Corey Conners-105
3rd Round 2 Ball - L. Aberg v T. Detry
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Ludvig Aberg-175
Thomas Detry+190
Tie+750
American Family Insurance Championship
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Bjorn/Clarke+275
Green/Hensby+750
Cejka/Kjeldsen+1000
Jaidee/Jones+1400
Bransdon/Percy+1600
Cabrera/Gonzalez+1600
Els/Herron+1600
Stricker/Tiziani+1800
Kelly/Leonard+2000
Appleby/Wright+2200
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3rd Round 2 Ball - J. Lower v D. Riley
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Davis Riley-115
Justin Lower+125
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - K. Roy v H. Norlander
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Henrik Norlander-105
Kevin Roy+115
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - C. Conners v S. Fisk
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Corey Conners-160
Steven Fisk+175
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - P. Peterson v A. Schenk
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Adam Schenk-125
Paul Peterson+135
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - R. Hoey v M. Anderson
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Rico Hoey-145
Matthew Anderson+160
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - A. Hadwin v P. Fishburn
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Adam Hadwin+100
Patrick Fishburn+110
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - W. Clark v BH An
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Wyndham Clark-115
Byeong Hun An-105
3rd Round 2 Ball - J. Suber v W. Clark
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Wyndham Clark-150
Jackson Suber+170
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - K. Mitchell v BH An
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Keith Mitchell-110
Byeong Hun An+120
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - M. Hughes v T. Olesen
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Mackenzie Hughes-115
Thorbjorn Olesen-105
3rd Round 2 Ball - L. Hodges v M. Hughes
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Mackenzie Hughes-115
Lee Hodges+125
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - B. Hossler v J. Svensson
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Beau Hossler-110
Jesper Svensson-110
3rd Round 2 Ball - J. Svensson v B. Hossler
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Beau Hossler+105
Jesper Svensson+105
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - J. Pak v T. Mullinax
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Trey Mullinax-130
John Pak+110
3rd Round 2 Ball - D. Skinns v T. Mullinax
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Trey Mullinax-115
David Skinns+125
Tie+750
Bryson DeChambeau
Type: Bryson DeChambeau - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-500
Top 10 Finish-1600
Top 20 Finish-10000
Jon Rahm
Type: Jon Rahm - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-250
Top 10 Finish-800
Top 20 Finish-5000
Joaquin Niemann
Type: Joaquin Niemann - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish-200
Top 10 Finish-600
Top 20 Finish-3300
Tyrrell Hatton
Type: Tyrrell Hatton - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+650
Top 10 Finish+200
Top 20 Finish-225
Patrick Reed
Type: Patrick Reed - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+150
Top 10 Finish-190
Top 20 Finish-900
Carlos Ortiz
Type: Carlos Ortiz - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+650
Top 10 Finish+200
Top 20 Finish-225
Cameron Smith
Type: Cameron Smith - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+400
Top 10 Finish+130
Top 20 Finish-335
3rd Round Match Up - K. Yu v V. Perez
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Victor Perez-115
Kevin Yu-105
3rd Round 2 Ball - K. Yu v P. Malnati
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Kevin Yu-165
Peter Malnati+180
Tie+750
Brooks Koepka
Type: Brooks Koepka - Status: OPEN
Top 5 Finish+800
Top 10 Finish+250
Top 20 Finish-175
3rd Round Match Up - S. Lowry v T. Pendrith
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Shane Lowry-110
Taylor Pendrith-110
3rd Round Match Up - C. Young v R. Hojgaard
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Cameron Young-115
Rasmus Hojgaard-105
3rd Round 2 Ball - T. Pendrith v C. Young
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Taylor Pendrith-115
Cameron Young+125
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - M. McCarty v J. Pak
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Matt McCarty-135
John Pak+150
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - M. Manassero v D. Willett
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Matteo Manassero-135
Danny Willett+115
3rd Round 2 Ball - D. Willett v R. Hojgaard
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Rasmus Hojgaard-145
Danny Willett+160
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - S. Burns v N. Taylor
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Sam Burns-120
Nick Taylor+100
3rd Round 2 Ball - S. Burns v M. Manassero
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Sam Burns-170
Matteo Manassero+185
Tie+750
2nd Round 3-Balls - B. DeChambeau / P. Mickelson / M. Kaymer
Type: Outright - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau-225
Phil Mickelson+320
Martin Kaymer+475
2nd Round 3-Balls - T. Hatton / L. Oosthuizen / B. Campbell
Type: Outright - Status: OPEN
Tyrell Hatton+105
Louis Oosthuizen+200
Ben Campbell+275
2nd Round 3-Balls - D. Johnson / A. Ancer / D. Lee
Type: Outright - Status: OPEN
Dustin Johnson+120
Abraham Ancer+165
Danny Lee+300
2nd Round 3-Balls - J. Rahm / J. Niemann / A. Lahiri
Type: Outright - Status: OPEN
Jon Rahm+115
Joaquin Niemann+135
Anirban Lahiri+400
2nd Round 3-Balls - M. Leishman / T. Pieters / G. McDowell
Type: Outright - Status: OPEN
Marc Leishman+135
Thomas Pieters+160
Graeme McDowell+250
2nd Round 3-Balls - P. Reed / B. Watson / P. Uihlein
Type: Outright - Status: OPEN
Patrick Reed+110
Bubba Watson+220
Peter Uihlein+240
3rd Round 2 Ball - S. Lowry v C. Del Solar
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Shane Lowry-240
Cristobal Del Solar+275
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - A. Putnam v J. Knapp
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Andrew Putnam-110
Jake Knapp-110
3rd Round 2 Ball - R. Fox v J. Knapp
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Ryan Fox-110
Jake Knapp+120
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - N. Taylor v V. Perez
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Nick Taylor-115
Victor Perez+125
Tie+750
3rd Round Match Up - C. Champ v R. Lee
Type: 3rd Round Match Up - Status: OPEN
Richard Lee-115
Cameron Champ-105
3rd Round 2 Ball - T. Olesen v R. Lee
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Thorbjorn Olesen-130
Richard Lee+145
Tie+750
3rd Round 2 Ball - C. Champ v A. Putnam
Type: Including Tie - Status: OPEN
Andrew Putnam-115
Cameron Champ+125
Tie+750
Major Specials 2025
Type: To Win A Major 2025 - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau+500
Jon Rahm+750
Collin Morikawa+900
Xander Schauffele+900
Ludvig Aberg+1000
Justin Thomas+1100
Joaquin Niemann+1400
Shane Lowry+1600
Tommy Fleetwood+1800
Tyrrell Hatton+1800
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US Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+275
Rory McIlroy+650
Bryson DeChambeau+700
Jon Rahm+1200
Xander Schauffele+2000
Ludvig Aberg+2200
Collin Morikawa+2500
Justin Thomas+3000
Joaquin Niemann+3500
Shane Lowry+3500
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The Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+400
Rory McIlroy+500
Xander Schauffele+1200
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Collin Morikawa+1600
Jon Rahm+1600
Bryson DeChambeau+2000
Shane Lowry+2500
Tommy Fleetwood+2500
Tyrrell Hatton+2500
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Ryder Cup 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
USA-150
Europe+140
Tie+1200

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The First Look: PGA ChampionshipThe First Look: PGA Championship

The PGA Championship heads to Southern Hills Country Club for the first time since 2007. FedExCup leader and world No.1 Scottie Scheffler leads the field as he looks for his second major championship victory of the season. FIELD NOTES: Tiger Woods is set to return to action. Just 14 months after a horrific car accident Woods teed it up at the Masters in April and made the cut. The PGA Championship will mark Woods’ second start of the season. Woods has won the Wanamaker Trophy four times (including the last time the PGA was hosted at Southern Hills) and has finished runner-up three times – as recently as 2019… FedExCup leader Scottie Scheffler will look to win his second major championship title of the year. Scheffler, who won the Masters by three shots, has won four times on TOUR already this season… Brooks Koepka, a two-time PGA Champion, withdrew from the AT&T Byron Nelson but is set to compete at Southern Hills. Koepka has never missed the cut at the PGA in nine starts… Rory McIlroy is looking to keep some major momentum going at Southern Hills. McIlroy shot an 8-under 64 in the final round of the Masters – tied for the lowest final-round score in tournament history… The reigning FedExCup champion, Patrick Cantlay, is looking to win his maiden major championship… 15 PGA Champions are teeing it up… The final spot in the field is reserved for the winner of the AT&T Byron Nelson if he is not otherwise qualified… Bryson DeChambeau is set to return to action. He missed the cut at the Masters in his last start on TOUR as he recovers from injury… Twenty PGA of America club pros earned their way into the event via qualifiers… TOUR winner Talor Gooch is teeing it up in his own backyard. Gooch is from Edmond, Oklahoma – less than 90 minutes from Tulsa. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 600 FedExCup points. COURSE: Southern Hills Country Club, par 70, 7,556 yards. Southern Hills, an established major championship venue, was not the original host club of the 2022 PGA Championship but was more than ready to welcome some of the world’s best when it was called upon. The redesigned Southern Hills hosted last year’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship (won by Alex Cejka who finished at 8 under). Originally a Perry Maxwell layout that opened in the late 1930s, the course was re-worked by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner in 2018 and re-opened in 2019. They removed trees, added bunkers, restored fairway widths, and removed rough near the edges of greens. There will be only two par fives in use for the PGA Championship, both measuring more than 630 yards. The course is set to play more than 300 yards longer than it did in 2007. All seven of the previous men’s major championships hosted at Southern Hills all came in the serious heat of July or August (in 2007 the temperature reached triple digits every day) but that’s not set to be a factor this year with the PGA taking place in May. Tiger Woods and Raymond Floyd have the Southern Hills Country Club course record. Floyd shot 63 at the 1982 PGA, while Woods matched the score in 2007. STORYLINES: Phil Mickelson will not defend his title, the PGA of America announced. Mickelson, who has won 45 times on TOUR and has four PGA TOUR Champions victories, has not played competitively since stepping away from the game in late February. He is the third PGA Champion not to defend his title in the last 75 years (Tiger Woods, 2008 and Ben Hogan, 1949)… Will this year’s PGA Championship be won by someone looking for their second major title like Scheffler (two top-10’s in a row at the PGA), Jon Rahm, or Justin Thomas (on the five-year anniversary of his first major win)? Or will one of the game’s top golfers break through for his first like Cantlay, Viktor Hovland, or Xander Schauffele?… RBC Heritage winner Jordan Spieth is again looking to capture the career Grand Slam… Collin Morikawa has played only two PGA Championships in his young career, but so far, so good. He won his debut and finished T8 at Kiawah Island… McIlroy is looking to break a major championship drought that spans eight years. He’s a two-time winner of the Wanamaker Trophy… Woods, Adam Scott, and Justin Rose are the trio of golfers who finished inside the top 15 at Southern Hills in 2007 who are returning in 2022… Americans have won the last six PGA Championships. 72-HOLE RECORD: 264, Brooks Koepka (2018 at Bellerive CC) 18-HOLE RECORD: 63, Bruce Crampton (2nd round, 1975 at Firestone CC), Raymond Floyd (1st round, 1982 at Southern Hills), Gary Player (2nd round, 1984 at Shoal Creek), Michael Bradley (1st round, 1993 at Inverness), Vijay Singh (2nd round, 1993 at Inverness), Brad Faxon (4th round, 1995 at Riviera CC), José María Olazábal (3rd round, 2000 at Valhalla), Mark O’Meara (2nd round, 2001 at Atlanta AC), Thomas Bjorn (3rd round, 2005 at Baltusrol), Tiger Woods (2nd round, 2007 at Southern Hills), Steve Stricker (1st round, 2011 at Atlanta AC), Jason Dufner (2nd round, 2013 at Oak Hill), Hiroshi Iwata (2nd round, 2015 at Whistling Straits), Robert Streb (2nd round, 2016 at Baltusrol), Brooks Koepka (2nd round, 2018 at Bellerive; 1st round, 2019 at Bethpage Black), Charl Schwartzel (2nd round, 2018 at Bellerive). LAST TIME: Phil Mickelson became the oldest major winner in TOUR history as well as becoming the first major champion after age 50 when he lifted the Wanamaker Trophy at Kiawah Island. His 45th TOUR title moved him to T8 on the all-time TOUR wins list, and he became just the fourth player to win TOUR events in four different decades. Mickelson came into the 2021 PGA Championship having not notched a top-10 result in 16 TOUR starts and not contending in a major in about four years. Mickelson, who was paired with two-time PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka for the final round, started with a struggle. He three-putted for bogey on the first hole while Koepka birdied, giving Koepka a one-shot lead. But Koepka made double bogey on No.2 and Mickelson birdied – jumping back ahead again. On the long par-3 5th Koepka landed safely on the green while Mickelson landed in a waste bunker. But Mickelson’s short-game magic returned again – as it so often does – and he pitched in for a birdie. Despite shooting a 1-over 73 in his final round, Mickelson won by two shots and claimed his sixth major title. Koepka and Louis Oosthuzien finished second at 4 under, while Shane Lowry, Harry Higgs, Paul Casey, and 49-year-old Padraig Harrington finished T4. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-8 p.m. ET (ESPN). Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET (ESPN), 2 p.m.-7 p.m. (CBS) Bonus: Thursday: ESPN+ broadcast 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 8 p.m.-finish. Featured Groups: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Featured Holes: 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Joe Buck/Michael Collins ESPN broadcast 1 p.m.-2 p.m.. Joe Buck/Michael Collins ESPN2 broadcast: 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Friday: ESPN+ broadcast 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 8 p.m.-finish. Featured Holes: 8:15 a.m.-7 p.m. Featured Groups: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Joe Buck/Michael Collins ESPN broadcast: 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Joe Buck/Michael Collins ESPN2 broadcast: 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday: ESPN+ broadcast 8 a.m.-10 a.m. Featured Groups: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Joe Buck/Michael Collins ESPN broadcast: 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Joe Buck/Michael Collins ESPN+ broadcast: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Featured Holes: 12 p.m.-7 p.m. Editor’s note: The PGA of America, which owns and operates the PGA Championship, controls all digital streaming and broadcast rights to this event. PGA TOUR LIVE coverage will resume next week at the Charles Schwab Challenge For outside of the U.S., click here for GOLFTV powered by the PGA TOUR

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Rory McIlroy wins Hero Dubai Desert Classic by one shotRory McIlroy wins Hero Dubai Desert Classic by one shot

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy watched his 15-foot birdie putt roll into the cup, clenched his fist and let out a roar to celebrate a victory. McIlroy finished birdie-birdie to shoot 4-under 68 and win by a stroke from Reed, who shot 65. The 33-year-old had won last season's DP World Tour's season-long Race to Dubai as well as the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup. “Mentally, today was probably one of the toughest rounds I have ever had to play because it would be really easy to let your emotions get in the way,” McIlroy said. “I just had to really focus on myself and forget who was up there on the leaderboard.” “This is probably sweeter than it should be,” McIlroy said. McIlroy started a year with a win for the first time in his career — he has come close numerous times in nearby Abu Dhabi, where he has typically chosen to play his year-opening tournament — and backed up victories at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2009 and 2015. Needing a birdie at the last to win, McIlroy’s drive on No. 18 dribbled into the rough beside the water to the right of the fairway — he watched it all the way, clearly fearing the worst — and he decided to lay up. His third shot from 92 yards was close enough and the world No. 1 rolled in the putt. McIlroy finished on 19-under overall. He wound up winning with his B game and was particularly proud how he held up down the last, having hit shots into the water in front of the green on Sunday and also in the final round last year, costing him the title. “It was a battle all day — honestly, it’s been a battle all week,” McIlroy. “I feel as if I haven’t had my best all week but just managed my game so well and played really smart. Even that second shot at the last. I probably could have got to the green but with what happened yesterday and last year, I tried to give myself a wedge and get it up and down for the win. “Ecstatic that I gave myself the opportunity the first week back out. I managed my game well.” Lucas Herbert of Australia shot 66 and placed third, three strokes behind McIlroy.

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