Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

Dubai, Jan 19: Dubai Creek Resort witnessed a dramatic finale on Sunday as Spain’s Nacho Elvira kept his composure under intense pressure to lift the 2026 Dubai Invitational title, sealing his third victory on the DP World Tour.

Starting the final round as the overnight leader, Elvira initially looked in control, stretching his advantage to three shots with his third birdie of the day at the seventh hole. But a turbulent Sunday unfolded as the leaderboard tightened dramatically, with no fewer than five players briefly sharing the lead during a gripping back nine.

Momentum swung repeatedly after Elvira stumbled with consecutive bogeys on the front nine, allowing Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Daniel Hillier and Marcus Armitage to draw level at nine under par. Lowry appeared poised to challenge after a birdie at the 15th, only to derail his chances with a costly double bogey at the closing hole.

Hillier set the clubhouse target at nine under, but Elvira delivered when it mattered most. A crucial birdie at the 17th restored his outright lead, and the Spaniard calmly negotiated the final hole for par to secure a memorable one-shot victory.

McIlroy, who had faltered early with two bogeys in his opening stretch, mounted a stunning charge with five consecutive birdies from the ninth hole to re-enter contention. However, a bogey at the 18th ended his hopes of a playoff. Hillier finished second, while Lowry and McIlroy shared third place. England’s Matt Wallace ended the week tied seventh after a closing 68.

Elvira’s triumph capped a consistent week that began with a strong showing in difficult, breezy conditions during the third round. He had taken a two-shot lead into the final day after carding a composed 68 on Saturday, mixing four birdies with an early bogey. That performance followed rounds that saw him share the halfway lead with Lowry and fend off a tightly packed chasing group that included Dylan Frittelli and Marcus Armitage.

Already a two-time DP World Tour winner following victories at the 2021 Cazoo Open and the 2024 Soudal Open, Elvira’s latest success in Dubai underlined his growing reputation as a player capable of thriving under pressure on the game’s biggest stages.