The Northern Trust: Patrick Reed holds off Abraham Ancer to win

Reed secured his first victory since last year's Masters

Overnight leader Patrick Reed held off the challenge of Mexico's Abraham Ancer to win The Northern Trust by a shot in New Jersey.

Reed began the day one shot ahead of Ancer and both hit a two-under-par 69, with the American finishing on 16 under for the tournament.

Harold Varner III and Spain's Jon Rahm came joint third on 14 under.

Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut at The Open last month, finished four shots behind Reed.

Australia's Adam Scott shot the round of the day - a six-under-par 65 - to finish three shots back on 13 under.

England's Ian Poulter and Justin Rose ended on 11 under but fellow countryman Danny Willett, who began the day three shots behind Reed, shot a four-over-par 75 to slip out of contention.

Reed's overnight lead at Liberty National in Jersey City disappeared with back-to-back bogeys at the second and third holes.

Spain's Rahm moved to the top of the leaderboard with three birdies in four holes on the front nine.

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Birdies at 12 and 13 moved Rahm to 16 under, but he faded with bogeys at the 14th and 15th.

Reed, who had three birdies and three bogeys on the front nine, rolled in an eight-footer at the 14th before draining a 10-footer to save par at 15, where he missed the green.

A four-foot birdie at 16 put Reed back on top for good.

Reed holed his winning putt from three feet to clinch victory, while Ancer remains in search of his first PGA Tour win.

"It's been a while," Reid said of his first win in more than a year. "It's been a little too long, honestly."

The victory in the first of three events in the US tour's FedEx Cup play-offs moved Reed to second in the standings.