ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Golf’s new “Big Three” has been around for only a few months, and already there’s talk of the exclusive group being expanded.

Rickie Fowler is back in the conversation after his fourth worldwide victory in the last nine months, over a stellar field at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

On Monday, the American found himself at a career-high No. 4 in the rankings, with only Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy above him. But to merit inclusion in the sport’s golfing elite, Fowler knows he needs to add a major to his increasingly impressive resume.

He gets his first chance at the Masters in April.

“I’d like to jump in and be a part of that crew,” said Fowler, sitting beside the huge Falcon Trophy awarded to the Abu Dhabi champion. “The goal right now with where my game’s at – it’s the best it’s been this early in the season in my career – I’m working on getting ready for Augusta.

“I’d like to have my shot at getting the green jacket there.”

Fowler had never previously won a tournament in the first four months of a year. He’s been a slow starter to seasons – he tied for 66th in Abu Dhabi in 2015, 17 shots behind unheralded French winner Gary Stal – making the Masters even tougher to win.

But this is a different Fowler, who acknowledges that his work on the range with celebrated coach Butch Harmon is starting to pay off.

His playoff win at The Players Championship last May started his winning run that has also taken in the Scottish Open and the Deutsche Bank, and made him believe more in himself.

“From The Players on, just being in the situation, contention, Sunday, final round, against the best players in the world and just believing and having the confidence that, hey, if I go hit the shots, I’m winning, no question,” Fowler said.

“It’s nice to have that added confidence now. Really having the belief and knowing that come Sunday when I’m in the mix, I know I can go get it done.”

That experience likely helped in Abu Dhabi when Alejandro Canizares and Thomas Pieters both came within one shot of Fowler’s final-round lead, which started at two strokes and had grown to four by No. 6. Fowler pulled off some clutch putts and two chip-ins – from a greenside bunker from 30 yards at No. 8 for eagle, and from just off the green at No. 17.

“Being able to do that, you get such an adrenaline rush and such a boost from it, and it’s so rewarding,” said Fowler, who won by one shot from Pieters. “I felt really comfortable in some of those situations.”

In 2014, Fowler finished in the top five in all four majors and his fifth place at the Masters was his best at Augusta.

He said Sunday that, with a rare early-season victory in the bag, all roads now lead to Augusta.

“It’s a great way to start,” Fowler said. “Nice to have the game where it’s at right now going into the season, instead of trying to work on things and trying to find stuff.

“Right now, I can go and fine-tune and really build ultimately for Augusta. … The ultimate goal this year is to go win a major and this is a step in the right direction.”

LA QUINTA, Calif. – Jason Dufner won the CareerBuilder Challenge with a par on the second hole of a playoff Sunday, taking advantage of David Lingmerth’s shot off the rocks that bounced into the water.

Dufner finished with a 2-under 70 on PGA West’s TPC Stadium Course to match Lingmerth at 25-under 263. Lingmerth shot a 65, matching the best score of the day on the difficult course that was used in the tournament for the first time since being dropped after its 1987 debut.

Dufner made two great par escapes to stay alive.

In regulation on the island-green 17th called Alcatraz, he pulled his 8-iron tee shot left and the ball bounced into a narrow sandy area between rocks that circle the putting surface. Maneuvering his club around the rocks, he hooded the clubface and hooked a chip that struck the flagstick and stopped inches away.

On the first extra hole on the par-4 18th with rocks and water running the length of the left side, Dufner hit his 3-wood drive near the lip in the front of a right-side bunker. Unable to reach the green, he blasted out 100 yards to set up a 110-yard third shot that he hit to 11 feet.

Lingmerth hit his approach from the right rough to 23 feet, but missed the birdie try. Dufner then holed his putt to send the playoff back to the 18th tee.

Dufner switched to a driver and followed Lingmerth into a grass bunker on the right side. Lingmerth’s approach from 184 yards crashed into the rocks along the edge of the fairway and shot left into the water.

Dufner hit the front of the green with his second shot and two-putted for par, holing a 5-footer after Lingmerth missed his par try from 22 feet.

The 38-year-old Dufner earned $1,044,000 for his fourth victory on the PGA Tour and first since the 2013 PGA Championship. He shot a 64 on Thursday on the Nicklaus Tournament Course for a share of the lead, had a 65 on Friday on the Stadium Course to take a one-shot advantage, and added a 64 on Saturday at La Quinta Country Club to pull two shots ahead.

Lingmerth also lost a playoff in the 2013 tournament on PGA West’s Palmer Private Course. That year, the Swede dropped out on first extra hole after hitting his approach into the water and making a bogey. Brian Gay went on to beat Charles Howell III with a birdie on the second hole.

Phil Mickelson shot a 68 to tie for third at 21 under in his first start since the Presidents Cup in October and first since splitting with swing coach Butch Harmon to work with Andrew Getson.

Kevin Na and Andrew Loupe also shot 68 to finish alongside Mickelson.

Canadian Adam Hadwin shared the lead with Dufner thru 9 holes Sunday, but went 2-over on the back nine to finish in a tie for 6th with Americans Luke List and and Jamie Lovemark at 20-under.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Rickie Fowler puffed his cheeks and shook his head. What looked like being a procession to the Abu Dhabi Championship title ended up being a squeeze for the American on Sunday.

It needed two moments of inspiration in the final round to seal a one-shot victory – and spark more talk about Fowler’s place in golf’s current elite.

Dressed in his trademark Sunday orange, Fowler rebounded from a double-bogey at No. 7, which helped trim his lead over a congested pack of challengers from four strokes to one, by chipping in from 30 yards for eagle from a bunker at No. 8.

Then, at No. 17, Fowler holed a chip from just off the green for a birdie that shook off playing partner Thomas Pieters, the Belgian who emerged from the bunch to chase Fowler all the way down the stretch.

“It was not how it was planned,” a smiling Fowler said of the tight finish, “but came out on top.”

Fowler, who held a two-stroke lead after a third-round 65, shot a 3-under 69 for 16-under 272 overall. Pieters (67) was runner-up, with fast-finishing Rory McIlroy (68) and Henrik Stenson (67) tied for third.

There was satisfaction for Fowler with claiming his fourth win worldwide in nine months, after victories at The Players Championship, the Scottish Open, and the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2015. This win will move him from No. 6 to No. 4 in the rankings, for a first-ever spot in the world’s top five.

The so-called “Big Three” of Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and McIlroy may need to be enlarged.

“I want to be part of the crew. It would be a pretty good foursome,” Fowler said. “I think I mentioned through the summer at some point, I said I was a sneaky fourth. We’ve got to take care of a major and then maybe I can join the crew.”

The win was extra special for Fowler, considering Spieth (No. 1), McIlroy (No. 3) and Stenson (No. 5) were in the field – arguably the strongest the European Tour will have this year.

Spieth tied for fifth – five shots behind Fowler – after a 68 and acknowledged after his final round that he was “beat up, mentally and physically,” having played in South Korea, China, Australia, Bahamas, Hawaii and now Abu Dhabi since October.

“I’m very tired. I am,” Spieth said. “I’m not 100 percent right.”

The championship went down to the wire. Fowler took a two-shot lead over Pieters down the par-5 18th and found a greenside bunker with his approach. Pieters gave himself a putt for eagle, which he missed left by an inch.

Fowler had two putts to win and he needed them both, with his winning effort from 2 feet.

“I didn’t do much wrong today,” said the big-hitting Pieters, who moved to within one shot of Fowler with a birdie on No. 13 but only parred his way to the 18th. “Next time maybe some more putts drop, that’s it.”

This is the first time Fowler has won during the first four months of a year. He has made a fashion statement this week by wearing high-top golf shoes and ankle-tight jogger pants, but he’s sent out a golfing message, too.

“Nice to have the game where it’s at right now going into the season, instead of trying to work on things,” he said. “I’d say this is really the first time in my career I’ve had that.”

It was another near miss for McIlroy, who adds a third place to his four runner-up finishes in Abu Dhabi at what is always his first event of each year.

McIlroy started the final round three shots behind Fowler and only came on strong late on, chipping in for birdie on No. 16 and rolling in a 35-foot eagle putt on No. 18.

“Seems like this could be the tournament that I just can’t quite master,” said McIlroy, who was making his 2016 debut after two months off. “But still a good finish and a lot of good golf there.”

KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii – Duffy Waldorf made a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Tom Lehman by a stroke Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship

The 53-year-old Waldorf shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 18-under 198 at Hualalai Golf Course. He played all 54 holes without a bogey, becoming the fourth player and second winner to accomplish the feat in the tournament. John Cook also was bogey-free in his 2013 victory.

Waldorf has two victories in his last three starts, winning the Toshiba Classic in November for his first senior title. He won four times on the PGA Tour.

Lehman also closed with a 66. After Waldorf holed his birdie putt on the par-4 18th, Lehman left his 15-footer inches short.

Two strokes behind Lehman was six holes left, Waldorf made a 5-foot birdie putt on the par-4 13th and pulled even with a 15-footer on the par-4 16th. Waldorf got up-and-down from the rough on the par-3 17th, saving par with a 7-foot putt.

Waldorf opened with rounds of 67 and 65 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round. He earned $300,000 in his first appearance in the event for major champions from the last five years, tournament winners the last two seasons and sponsor invitees.

Davis Love III was third at 15 under after a 68. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain was making his sixth senior start after playing the PGA Tour’s Hawaii events the last two weeks. He won the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in August.

Jay Haas (65) and Joe Durant (68) were 14 under, and Fred Couples (66) and Kenny Perry (67) were another stroke back.

Tom Watson, two strokes behind Waldorf entering the round after bettering his age Friday with a 65, had a 71 to drop into a tie for 11th at 11 under. The 66-year-old Watson is winless since the 2011 Senior PGA Championship.

HONOLULU – Fabian Gomez of Argentina closed with two birdies for an 8-under 62, and then made his 11th birdie of the day on the second playoff hole to beat Brandt Snedeker on Sunday in the Sony Open.

Gomez won for the second time on the PGA Tour, and this one was much tougher.

Starting the final round four shots behind, the 37-year-old Gomez ran off seven straight birdies in the middle his round, let Snedeker back in the game with a pair of bogeys, and then holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole and a 20-foot birdie from just off the 18th green to finish at 20-under 260.

Snedeker made a 4-foot birdie on the 18th for a 66 to force the playoff.

Zac Blair, who shared the 54-hole lead with Snedeker, had a 10-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole to join them, but it missed on the high side. He had a 67.

On the first playoff hole at the par-5 18th, Snedeker’s 12-foot birdie for the win narrowly missed. Returning to the 18th a second time in the playoff – the hardest fairway to hit at Waialae on Sunday – Gomez went with a hybrid off the tee to stay in the short grass. His 3-iron reached the front of the green and set up a long two-putt birdie.

Snedeker hit driver into a bunker, laid up and hit wedge 10 feet behind the hole. His birdie attempt to extend the playoff slid by to the right.

“It’s frustrating because I couldn’t make putts to win the golf tournament,” Snedeker said. He said leaving his 12-foot putt to win on the first playoff hole “is going to sting today and tomorrow.”

Gomez won the St. Jude Classic last year by four shots and already was in the Masters. This victory will move him just outside the top 50 in the world ranking, greatly improving his chances of playing in the Olympics this summer.

His 62 was the lowest closing round by a Sony Open champion.

Blair saved par from 8 feet on the 16th hole to keep alive his chance, and he almost cashed in with what he called the best 3-wood of his life from 280 yards. “Oh my gosh, that’s so good,” Blair said as he watched it bound forward onto the green to 10 feet. He needed the eagle to join the playoff. It stayed just above the hole.

“One of the best putts I’ve probably ever hit right there on 18,” he said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go in.”

Si Woo Kim, the 20-year-old from South Korea, was part of a five-way tie for the lead briefly. He closed with one bogey and five parts for a 68 to finish fourth.

Kevin Kisner, playing in the final group for the third time in his last four tournaments, ended his streak of 15 consecutive rounds under par at the worst time. His best putts were to save par until a wild tee shot on the eighth led to double bogey, dropping him five shots behind. Kisner still was in the mix until a bunker-to-bunker double bogey on the 17th ended his day. He closed with a 70 and tied for fifth.

Gomez surged into contention, and then the lead, with seven straight birdies starting with a 12-foot putt on the sixth hole. The Argentine was so dialed in that the next six birdies were all inside 8 feet. But he followed that streak with two straight bogeys, and only the great finish got him into the playoff.

Snedeker and Blair were the only players who stayed with him.

Blair had a share of the 54-hole lead for the first time, playing alongside two of the best putters, and even with that little wiggle in his stance to get comfortable, he rolled it beautifully. He holed a 12-foot par putt on the opening hole and made birdie putts of 35 feet on No. 7, 20 feet on No. 8 and 25 feet on No. 12, the last one giving him a share of the lead when Gomez finally made bogey.

Snedeker came out flat with seven pars and a bogey and twice fell three shots behind. But with birdies around the turn, an 8-foot birdie on the 14th and Gomez making those two bogeys, he was right back in the mix.

He took the lead for the first time all day with a gap wedge he stuffed into 3 feet for birdie on the 16th, but moments later, Gomez made his birdie on the 17th.

In the second tournament since the ban on anchored strokes typically used for long putters, Blair was asked to review his stroke on the 17th before signing his card. He used a fairway metal to putt out of light rough, and a television replay made it look as though the end of the club might have been touching his body.

After a brief review, it was determined the club did not touch his body.

Canada’s Graham DeLaet tied for 7th at -14.

JOHANNESBURG – Haydn Porteous kept his nerve to go bogey-free through the final round Sunday and win the Joburg Open by two shots for his first European Tour title.

The South African finished with a 3-under 69 for an 18-under total of 269 at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. He pushed clear of a three-way tie for the lead overnight for his breakthrough win.

Zander Lombard, one of the men to share the lead with Porteous, finished second after a 71, which included four birdies but also three bogeys.

The third co-leader, Anthony Wall of England, was in a four-way tie for third after a 72. Wall had been searching for his first tour title in 16 years only to fail to pick up any shots on his closing nine. He finished three behind Porteous and alongside Bjorn Akesson, Justin Walters and American Daniel Im.

The additional reward for Porteous, Lombard and Wall were places at this year’s British Open at Royal Troon.

Victory came after the 21-year-old Porteous missed the cut at both previous European Tour events he’d played this season. His measured finish included birdies on the par-5 No. 8, on No. 14 and at No. 18 to make sure.

Porteous became the second first-time winner on the tour’s South African swing after 22-year-old Brandon Stone won last weekend’s South African Open.

Wall had a chance at just a second European Tour win – and his first since 2000 – after reasonable progress on the front nine with two birdies and a bogey. But he slipped up with a bogey on No. 10 and wasn’t able to climb back into contention, finishing with eight straight pars.

Having missed the cut last week, Ernie Els ended the Joburg Open with another disappointing round, a 74 this time for 5 under overall and in a tie for 44th.

HONOLULU – Même après avoir raté un oiselet de deux pieds au dernier trou, ce ne fut pas difficile pour Zac Blair de voir le positif, samedi, à l’Omnium Sony.

Blair a effectué trois roulés sur la dernière normale-5 à Waialae et a dû se contenter d’une carte de 64, six coups sous la normale, ce qui lui a procuré une égalité en tête avec Brandt Snedeker. Blair est en quête d’une première victoire sur le circuit de la PGA.

Snedeker a raté des roulés pour l’oiselet sur les deux derniers trous pour jouer 66. Ils étaient à moins-16, et ils ont encore beaucoup de compagnie au haut du classement.

Kevin Kisner a commis son seul boguey de la ronde après que son coup de fer se soit retrouvé derrière les tentes corporatives au 17e trou. Il s’est bien repris avec un oiselet au 18e pour jouer 66 et il accuse maintenant un coup de retard sur les meneurs.

Le Canadien Graham DeLaet est à égalité au 13e échelon à moins-10 tandis que son compatriote Nick Taylor occupe le 52e rang à moins-6. Adam Hadwin, de Moose Jaw en Saskatchewan, est 68e à moins-4 et David Hearn, de Brampton en Ontario, est à moins-3 et n’a pas pu terminer la ronde.

HONOLULU – Zac Blair missed a 2-foot birdie putt on his final hole Saturday and had to settle for a share of the lead with Brandt Snedeker.

Blair drilled a 3-wood into the par-5 closing hole at Waialae to just over 40 feet, lagged it short and pulled the short birdie. He still had a 6-under 64 and will have a good shot at his first PGA Tour victory.

Snedeker missed birdie putts of 10 feet and 12 feet on the last two holes for a 66.

They were at 16-under 194.

Kevin Kisner birdied his last hole for a 66 and was one shot behind. He will be in the final group for the third time in his last four PGA Tour events.

Canada’s Graham DeLaet is tied for 13th at 10-under 200.

JOHANNESBURG – Anthony Wall has a chance at his second European Tour title and first in 16 years when he heads into the final round of the Joburg Open as part of a three-way tie for the lead.

England’s Wall and South Africans Zander Lombard and Haydn Porteous were on 15-under-par 200 on Saturday after three rounds at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

Wall, trying to add to his Alfred Dunhill Championship victory in 2000, had four birdies in a 68. Lomard had one of the rounds of the day with his 65, while Porteous matched Wall’s 68.

The trio leads by two from a group of four players: Overnight leader Ross McGowan, who slipped off the top with a 1-over 73, Jacques Blaauw, Paul Dunne, and American Daniel Im.

JOHANNESBURG – Ross McGowan opened a three-shot lead after two rounds of the European Tour’s Joburg Open following a sizzling 9-under 62 on Friday.

The Englishman, who regained his place on the tour this season, fired six birdies and two eagles on the par-71 West Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington to go 14 under for the tournament. That followed his 5-under 67 on the East Course in the opening round.

McGowan surged clear of Jean Hugo, Haydn Porteous, Anthony Wall and Felipe Aguilar, who were all 11 under.

McGowan lost his European Tour card in 2011 but came through qualifying school last year, and tied for 12th at the South African Open last weekend.

Four-time major champion Ernie Els just survived the cut after carding 70-70 for his opening two rounds.