Rory McIlroy beat Patrick Reed to win the Dubai Desert Classic, having taken a one-shot lead into the final hole on Monday.
The Northern Irishman sealed the victory in a thrilling final round that saw him sink a Birdie putt to win by one shot on the decisive 18th hole.
The World No 1 had the last laugh over his tee-gate rival after a tense period that has seen the engage in a war of words, following an altercation at the Emirates Golf Club that saw the American throw an LIV tee at his opponent.
Rory McIlroy sealed a sensational third Dubai Desert Open title after beating Patrick Reed
McIlroy took a slender one-shot lead over his rival heading into the final hole on Monday
His American rival sealed a Birdie to finish at -18 after missing out on a difficult chance to seal an Eagle from 35 yards, but left his rival needing a birdie to win it.
A par on the final hole would force a play-off, and McIlroy almost sent his ball into the wet but came up just short of the water hazard in a shaky start for the man going into the final hole with the slender lead.
He then left himself a tricky up-and-down to put himself in pole position to seal the win without needing the play-off, but gave himself the best chance of doing exactly that with the ball just 15 feet short for the Birdie.
Patrick Reed had put the pressure back onto McIlroy with a Birdie of his own on the final hole
After sitting down on his haunches to study the green ahead of the crucial stroke, he sent it straight into the heart of the hole before rising an arm in celebration.
McIlroy began the final round with a three-shot lead for 65, but Reed came out firing on all cylinders to make his way back to the clubhouse on 65 having put the pressure back on the World No 1.
But Birdies on the 17th and 18th ensured the victory for McIlroy, who finished strong to hold off the comeback.
McIlroy registered back-to-back Birdies to put to bed any mention of a comeback from Reed
In doing so, McIlroy sealed a sensational third Dubai Desert Open title, beating his bitter rival in the process.
The pair have been locked in a bitter dispute that began after the newly-crowned champion appeared to ignore the American at a driving range, only for the snubbed Reed to throw a tee at him in retaliation.
McIlroy won a third Dubai Desert Classic title
McIlroy later revealed that his actions came as a result of receiving a subpoena from the American’s lawyer on Christmas Eve.
In giving his version of events, McIlroy said: ‘I was down by my bag and he came up to me.
‘I was busy working and doing my practice and I didn’t really feel the need to acknowledge him. I didn’t see a tee coming my direction at all, but apparently that’s what happened.
‘And if roles were reversed and I’d have of thrown that tee at him, I’d be expecting a lawsuit.’
Insisting that the subpoena was nothing to do with him, Reed said of his rival’s actions: ‘He saw me and he decided not to not to react. It’s unfortunate.
‘But it is one of those things – if you’re going to act like an immature little child then you might as well be treated like one.’
The Northern Irishman came out on top against his tee-gate rival in thrilling final hole finale
The pair had avoided being grouped together in the third round, with tensions potentially set to boil over, despite being tied.
Reed was then embroiled in further controversy after having to use binoculars to spot his ball that was stuck up a palm tree, which enabled a penalty drop rather than a costly 275 yard walk back to the tee.
He then managed a Bogey on the hole, but viewers suggested that his ball had entered a different tree to the one that he spotted his ball in with the binoculars.
Reed (right) was involved in a controversial rules decision at the Dubai Desert Classic
Reed (left) lost his ball up a palm tree during his third round at day four of the event
Following the incident, Reed said: ‘I got lucky that we were able to look through the binoculars and you have to make sure it’s your ball and how I mark my golf balls is I always put an arrow on the end of my line.
‘You could definitely see and identify the line with the arrow on the end, and the rules official was there to reconfirm and check it to make sure it was mine as well.’
Another undercurrent to the battle in Dubai saw the DP representative McIlroy best LIV Golf’s Reed in a head-to-head battle – with an arbitration panel set to rule in February whether LIV golfers can compete in DP World Tour events.
MORE TO FOLLOW.
Reed, pictured winning the Masters in 2018, has had a compelling rivalry with McIlroy
The American also got the better of McIlroy during a fiery singles match at the 2016 Ryder Cup