Bryson DeChambeau's Dubai Desert Classic challenge unravels after threat of penalty for slow play

Bryson DeChambeau’s defence of the Dubai Desert Classic blew up in a slow-play temper tantrum on Sunday, after he was warned that he could face a penalty shot.

The irony was that earlier Sebastian Soderberg had broken the European Tour record with a 1 hr 36 min round. The Swede was first off, playing on his own, and although his 75 was hardly notable, he smashed Thomas Pieters’ mark of 1 hr 59 min.

None of which was any consolation to DeChambeau. The American was tied for the lead with four holes to go, but a disastrous quartet of bogeys led him to spiral into a tie for eighth, behind the winner, the Australian Lucas Herbert.

DeChambeau, the world No 17, did not hang around to discuss his feelings, but anyone who watched his exchange with the official who told him he had fallen foul of the stopwatch would not have needed to guess. He was informed he had one “bad” time and that another would merit a sanction. It was said politely but was hardly welcome.

The player nicknamed “The Mad Scientist” has raged against his reputation as one of the more deliberate players on tour for the past year and insisted he was happy with the tour’s more draconian approach to weed out the snails. Yet, praise for the clock-watchers was probably not on his mind when he exited the United Arab Emirates .

At least Eddie Pepperell, his playing partner who had previously been critical of DeChambeau’s pace of play, extended a positive note of consolation. “To his credit, Bryson’s sped up,” he tweeted.

While Dechambeau was still raging, Herbert recovered from his “worst shot ever” to see off South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout in a play-off. Herbert birdied the second extra hole at the Emirates Club to take the £415,000 first prize, after the pair had finished tied on nine under following matching final rounds of 68.

Bezuidenhout had looked set for victory on the first play-off hole when Herbert went for the green in two but carved his approach wildly into the water – a strike that earned his damning verdict.

However, Herbert managed to regain his composure and, after a penalty drop, hit a superb pitch to within two feet of the hole to save par, before Bezuidenhout was unable to convert a long birdie putt.

Herbert made the most of his reprieve with a huge drive on the second extra hole and this time only needed an iron to find the putting surface to set up a two-putt birdie, as Bezuidenhout was unable to get up and down from over the green.

England’s Tom Lewis shared third place on seven under with Spain’s Adri Arnaus and South African Dean Burmester.

This could prove crucial for Lewis, the 29-year-old from Welwyn Garden City, in his mission to qualify for his first Masters. Lewis must advance into the world’s top 50 by the end of March to earn an invitation for the Augusta field and this has taken him to the brink, ensuring it will a tough few days for the golfer who so memorably topped the first-round Open leaderboard as an amateur in 2011.

On the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy missed the chance to return to world No 1. The Irishman needed to win the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines to claim top spot for the first time in five years, but a 69 for a 12-under total left him in a tie for third, behind the winner Marc Leishman.

The Australian finished a stroke clear of Spain’s Jon Rahm. Leishman marked Australian Day with an emotional tribue. “Lucas won in Dubai and I’ve won here and that is great,” he said. “Our thoughts are all to home.”

Tiger Woods recorded a top 10 on his first start of the season, firing a 69 for a 10-under total.