American Reed seals one-stroke victory in Mexico with McIlroy fifth

Reed received his eighth title on the PGA TourWGC-Mexico championship final leaderboard -18 P Reed (USA); -17 B DeChambeau (USA); -15 J Rahm (Spa), E van Rooyen (SA); -14 R McIlroy (NI) Selected others: -13 T Hatton (Eng), J Thomas (USA); -11 P. Casey (Eng); -6 T Fleetwood (Eng); -5 L Westwood (Eng); -3 S Lowry (Ire); level D Johnson (USA); +13 G McDowell (NI) Full scoreboard

The American Patrick Reed has scored a four-under 67 to win the WGC-Mexico championship with one blow.

The 29-year-old world number 14, joint second & night, could afford to be the last bogey if he finished under 18, ahead of countryman Bryson DeChambeau.

World number four Justin Thomas, ahead at the start of the last day, slipped to 73 for a share of the sixth.

Jon Rahm & # 39; s 67 dropped him three in third place, with world number one Rory McIlroy a shot farther back after a 68.

After nine birds and a hole in one in a track record 61 on Saturday, Rahm shot four of the first five holes to take part of the lead and then managed to save par when his second shot hit the water at the sixth.

In contrast, Thomas, looking for his 13th PGA title, saw his tee-shot of a tree flash in the water at the par-three seventh and dropped another shot on the n ext to get out of the to fall after his drive was finished 80 meters off line

His ball then ended behind the base of a tree on the 10th and forced him to play left-handed, and although he found a way the trees back to the fairway, a double bogey resulted.

With other leading players unable to seize the momentum, DeChambeau, who played in the penultimate group with Rahm and McIlroy, produced seven birdies in nine holes of the sixth to move two clear.

The illustrious Rahm and McIlroy were only able to play the back nine in level par, but the ever-held Reed made two birdies to narrow the gap to one and was tied to the lead when DeChambeau dropped 17 meters away at the 17th and three putted.

Despite a low sun that caused vision problems at the Club de Golf Chapultepec, Reed worked a two-foot approach to birding the 16th and taking the lead.

DeChambeau, who led after two rounds, missed a 19-foot birdie chance to finish last with a 65 for 17 bottom, with Reed rattling in a third consecutive birdie after a long putt on the 17th.

There was still time for drama when Reed, took an iron off the tee at the last hole, pushed him straight into the trees, but he found the green in three and safely two-putted for a five to add a second WGC title to his 2018 Masters victory.

In his first event since November after wrist surgery, the Englishman Tyrrell Hatton included five birds in a 68 to share in sixth.