GOLF/Dubai Desert Classics: Ernie Els swept to the top of the Order of Merit after winning his second title in seven days in the $1million Dubai Desert Classic.

Els carded a final-round 69 at the Emirates Golf Club to claim back-to-back titles for the first time since 1997 following his first victory on the USPGA Tour for more than 18 months last Sunday.

The South African's 16-under-par total of 272 gave him a four-shot victory over Ryder Cup Swede Niclas Fasth, with another Swede, Carl Pettersson, a shot further back and England's Brian Davis in fourth on nine under.

The victory was Els' third in a row in strokeplay tournaments, for which he is a collective 50-under-par.

He won the Heineken Classic in Melbourne on the European Tour, before playing in the World Matchplay in California a fortnight ago, followed by wins in the Genuity Championship in Florida and here.

It also means he is the first player to win the Dubai Desert Classic twice, his second win coming eight years after setting the course record of 61 on his way to a six-shot win over Greg Norman.

Next up will be two tournaments in America and the build-up to the first Major of the year, the US Masters at Augusta.

"So far so good," said Els. "I've had a really great start to my season with two wins. I'm really enjoying it. It's already a good year and let's hope it gets better.

"I'd like to keep it going for another two weeks and then I have two weeks off before the Masters.

The margin of victory was comfortable in the end, but Els admitted Fasth had given him a real scare as he wiped out the 32-year-old's three-shot overnight advantage within seven holes with an eagle on the third and birdie on the seventh.

But the turning point came on the eighth as Fasth ran up a dreadful triple-bogey seven. His drive found a wiry bush to the right of the fairway, and his attempted recovery flew way left over the fairway and into the desert.

From there it took two more to get on the green and three putts, and suddenly Fasth was three behind again, the gap becoming four as Els birdied the ninth.

Ultimately an Els birdie on the 16th while Fasth's bogey ended any doubt about the outcome, and not even bouts of extremely rare rain - Dubai only has rain five days a year on average - could prevent the double US Open champion from sealing victory.

Fasth was disappointed to have missed out on his second European Tour title, but enhanced his reputation further ahead of September's Ryder Cup.

"Before I came here I felt like I was in good form, I felt it was my tournament but it wasn't to be," said the 29-year-old, second in the Open to David Duval last year.

Closing rounds of 68 and 69 saw Darren Carke share seventh place for €37,980 in prizemoney. Dubliner Padraig Harrington finished two shots behind Clarke with a four-under-par 283 for €18,603.

British amateur champion Michael Hoey finished in a tie for 12th after an impressive performance in the build-up to his Masters debut next month.

The 23-year-old from Belfast, who will turn professional after playing at Augusta, carded a final-round 71 to outscore the likes of Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Harrington.

He shot to prominence with a final-round 64 in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond last year, and also carded a hole-in-one on the 12th hole during his second round at the Dunhill Championship in South Africa earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Davis (27) was disappointed not to make more than one birdie on the back nine but can reflect on an excellent finish in his first tournament since pulling out of the Dunhill Championship in South Africa in January with food poisoning.