Thomas Bjørn Wins Qatar Masters

Thomas Bjørn wins Qatar Masters

Thomas Björn held his nerve to land an 11th European Tour title at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy.

The Dane saw his overnight one shot lead wiped out by Markus Brier at the first hole, and then when the Austrian fell away 2009 winner Alvaro Quiros charged to within one on the back nine.

But the former Ryder Cup star, an assistant to Colin Montgomerie at The Celtic Manor Resort last year, stayed calm to record a closing round of 69 to win by four shots on 14 under.

Björn parred his first 14 holes, before a wonderful six iron approach to the 15th led to his first birdie of the day, and he made further gains at the 16th and 18th.

"I said yesterday it was going to be one of those days where it's a question of hanging in, and that's all I did earlier on," said Björn, who turns 40 later this month.

"I didn't play particularly well for at least the first six holes. I was really struggling and didn't hit any fairways, and just kept holing a few putts for pars.

"I knew it was going to be a tough day, but from there on I started playing a lot better and got more control over the ball and just kept making pars. I stood on the tenth tee with a four shot lead and I knew it was going to be difficult, if I parred every hole on the back nine, it's going to be difficult for them to catch me."

Quiros came closest to catching the Estoril Open de Portugal winner - the big-hitting Spaniard turning one under before defying windy conditions to reach the par five tenth in two for birdie.

He picked up further shots at the 11th and 14th, but a missed five foot par putt on the 15th shortly before Björn's birdie on the same hole provided a crucial two shot swing.

And when Quiros misjudged his tee shot at the penultimate hole and bogeyed, the contest was effectively over.

The 28 year old gained a shot at the last to finish second on ten under, with Brier joined by Spain's Rafael Cabrera Bello in third.

"Alvaro put in a stint there where he threw a few birdies in and it became a little bit tense," admitted Björn.

"But after I hit that shot on 15 and saw him miss that putt for par, well, it's going to be difficult for him to catch me out if I don't make any mistakes.

"In the end it became a bit of a cruise, but delighted with the week. I played solid golf - I think I made one bogey in the last 54 holes. On this golf course and in these conditions, that's good going."

Quiros was left to rue his late blips, but was generally happy to have finished runner-up for the second year running.

"Yesterday I was thinking I was going to finish top five and I'm going to finish second by myself," he said.

"Unfortunately I made three putts on 15, and I made a stupid bogey on 17. So after that, it's going to be tough to reach him. But anyway, I'm very pleased to be where I am."

Darren Clarke signed for a final round 68 to finish in a share of 12th place.

Michael Hoey and Paul McGinley both shot under par rounds of 71 to finish one over for the tournament.

Commercialbank Qatar Masters Result

Thomas Bjørn Tops Qatar Leaderboard

Thomas Bjørn Walsk on Water in Qatar 

Thomas Björn turned on the style to grab the 54 hole lead at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy in Doha.

The former Ryder Cup star, who last October was one of Colin Montgomerie's vice-captains at The Celtic Manor Resort, birdied four of the last five holes to charge from one behind Austrian Markus Brier to one in front.

Bjorn, 40 in less than a fortnight, added a bogey-free 66 to his second round 65 and will resume the chase for the €303,113 first prize on 11 under par.

Brier, the World Number 478, was left to rue bogey sixes on both the ninth and 18th as he handed in a 69.

First his approach flew over the green, then he was twice in the dense rough right of the final fairway and had to lay up short of the water with his third shot.

Defending champion Robert Karlsson remains a threat three strokes behind Björn in third spot, outdoing even the leader with five birdies in his last seven holes for a 69.

“When you finish a round with four birdies in the last five, you have to walk off very happy,” said Björn, who won last year’s Estoril Open de Portugal.

“I played fantastic yesterday to shoot that 65 and felt comfortable this morning, and felt good with the way my golf is. I'm feeling quite comfortable on the golf course considering it's been a while since I've been in that kind of situation, so I'm pleased with the way the day panned out.”

The ten-time European Tour winner started his run with a curling 18 footer at the 14th and finished with three more birdies, pitching over the lake to within three feet of the flag on the last.

Brier, who did not have a single top-20 finish on The European Tour last year and survived Qualifying School with nothing to spare in November, is playing on a sponsor's invitation and could yet reignite his career in dramatic fashion.

He had birdied the fourth and sixth before his slip at the ninth and picked up more strokes on the 11th, 12th and 16th thanks to a 25 foot putt.

“Obviously when you bogey the last, it's never nice,” admitted Brier. “But I just had a really bad shot and deserved the bad lie there, so I had no chance going for three. It happens, and the rest was good. 

“I made a few crunch putts at the end, especially 16, 17 was good. I got a bit lazy with my shots at the end, but I managed to keep my score good, and just one shot back is nothing.”

South African Thomas Aiken is in fourth place on seven under, four behind, and one further back come 2009 winner Alvaro Quiros and England's Richard Finch.

Darren Clarke finished in a share of 36th place on Saturday following a three under par round of 69 moving up the leader board to level par.

Paul McGinley and Michael Hoey carded rounds of 71 to finish on 2 over par ahead of Sunday's final round.

CommercialBank Qatar Masters leader board

Only Three Irish Make Qatar Cut

Markus Brier

Darren Clarke, Michael Hoey and Paul McGinley all just made the cut on three over par at the ComercialBank Qatar Masters on Friday with Damien McGrane and Peter Lawrie missing out at Doha Golf Club.

Austria’s Markus Brier shot a brilliant 66 to lead former winner Darren Fichardt by a shot at the halfway stage of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy.

A two-time European Tour winner, Brier had to go back to Qualifying School last November to retain his European Tour card and is playing this week on a sponsor’s invite.

And he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, building on his opening 71 with a round including six unanswered birdies to reach seven under for the tournament.

“I could see in the morning it was a little less wind, and so obviously the opportunities were there,” said Brier.

“I kept the ball in play and holed a few two or three really long putts, and that obviously makes the difference between a good and very good round. I didn't make mistakes.

“I was lucky on nine - my last hole - with a wayward drive and made birdie out of it, so that's like a two shot win there. The rest was pretty solid. It's great to be up there again and hopefully it stays like this.”

The 42 year old was 137th on last year’s Race to Dubai - his worst finish since joining the European Tour in 2000 – and the World Number 478 admitted the trip back to Qualifying School may have done him good.

“At the end of the season, I really had to go back to my roots and play Qualifying School,” he added. “I knew I had to start all over again, and fortunately I made it at Qualifying School. 

“The first week was pretty good in East London. I was up there again and that helped build up confidence. I just feel more comfortable, and I got my head really on the golf and not so much on other things or bad things like last year.”

Fichardt, a winner here in 2003, moved into second place with a round of 68, with defending champion Robert Karlsson, England’s Richard Finch and Dane Thomas Björn tied for third on five under.

First round leader Retief Goosen was still setting the pace with two holes to go, but while Brier was finishing with a 35 foot birdie putt, the 2007 champion double-bogeyed the short 17th and fell back to four under.

Björn’s seven under 65 was the best of the day and the former Ryder Cup star was delighted with his form.

“It was one of those days where golf seemed a bit easier than it does on normal days,” he said.

“I got off to a fantastic start, two under through six. Even when I hit a few iffy shots, I got away with it. 

“It was one of those days where everything just went my way, and I putted well. I had some great chances coming down the stretch to go even lower, but golf just seemed simple today.”

World Number One Lee Westwood and Paul Casey, the winner in Bahrain on Sunday, both shot 75 to miss the cut by one and two strokes respectively.

Westwood's 30 foot eagle attempt on the last to stay alive hovered on the edge, but did not drop.

His exit gives Martin Kaymer the chance to take over at the top of the rankings after he improved seven shots on his first day 77.

The German needs to finish first or second on Sunday, though, and entering the weekend he is ten adrift of Brier.

Qatar Masters leader board Round 2

Goosen Masters Qatar Conditions

Retief Goosen

Peter Lawrie leads the Irish challenge at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy signing for a level par round 72 in Doha to finish in fifth place with Damien McGrane and Michael Hoey on 2 over for the day.

Retief Goosen celebrated his 42nd birthday with a pace-setting three under par 69 in the windswept opening round at Dogha Golf Club seeking a repeat of his last European Tour victory at this event four years ago.

Without a title anywhere for nearly two years  the twice US Open Champion shone in conditions that caused real problems for many of the star names in the field.

As the round drew to a close in fading light Goosen held the clubhouse lead by one from defending champion Robert Karlsson, 2003 winner Darren Fichardt and England's Richard Finch.

Former Ryder Cup player Niclas Fasth, in the last group of the day, just had time to birdie the driveable 16th and join Goosen out in front on three under before play for the day was called off because of darkness.

South African Goosen was the only player to break 70, although Swede Fasth has a chance to join him in the morning.

Lee Westwood, who could lose the World Number One spot if Martin Kaymer finishes in the top two on Sunday, managed a 73 and that was good enough for a place inside the top 20.

After only one bogey all week a fortnight ago, Kaymer dropped shots at the sixth and 12th and then drove into rocks three holes later en route to a 77.

The US PGA Championship winner tried to play his way out of trouble, but knocked the ball only a few yards and then took a penalty drop en route to a double bogey six.

Goosen was joint third in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago, albeit ten shots adrift of Kaymer, and continued that form in the far more difficult conditions.

"I drove it nicely, but it was tough to get the ball close to the flags and when you were putting you were getting blown all over the place," Goosen said.

"It wasn't easy. I putted well in these conditions, made a few good putts and par saves and that kept my score together."

Fasth's last win was also four years ago and it is now nine years since he helped Europe win The Ryder Cup at The Belfry.

He made a 15 foot birdie putt on the seventh, his 16th, in the fast-fading light to put himself and Goosen one ahead.

Karlsson scrambled brilliantly at times and the former European Number One was pleased to be in contention for a third title in the desert in 12 months after winning the season-ending Dubai World Championship in November.

"The one on six was a bit special," he said. "To keep the round going, it's easy to get into if you're holing out well.

"I've played well here a few times and the year before I won. I like this golf course, it's always in great condition."

Paul McGinley signed for a round of 77.

Darren Clarke was one shot further adrift following a round of 78.

Round 1 Leaderboard

Kaymer and Westwood in Qatar Battle

Martin Kaymer goes head-to-head with Lee Westwood at this week's Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy for the first time since becoming the World Number Two.

But the German US PGA Championship winner insists overhauling World Number One Westwood is not his main priority just yet.

A resounding eight shot win in Abu Dhabi a fortnight ago saw Kaymer move above Tiger Woods in the Official World Golf Ranking to set up the first all-European top two since Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer in 1993.

And Kaymer says the European surge in the rankings - they make up ten of the top 20 - proves the strength of The European Tour.

"My goal is not to become the Number One in the world right now," Kaymer said. "For me it's just important to play tournaments, to play as good as I can those tournaments, winning those tournaments, and then you know, if I take care of that, then yes, I will become Number One, one day.

"But at the moment, I'm not focusing on my World Rankings. I know I'm in the top ten, and that's important to me.

"It's nice for England and German players, too - it was Faldo and Langer I think 18 years ago. But European golf, not only The Ryder Cup showed it, but the last couple of years has showed how strong we are.

"Rory [McIlroy], he won in America last year, Graeme [McDowell] winning the US Open - those things they show that we are on the right track and The European Tour doesn't have to hide anymore.

"Of course the US PGA Tour has strong players and they are a powerful market obviously in America, but I think the performance that we showed the last five years has been very impressive I think."

The strength of The European Tour is further highlighted by the fact that many of America's leading stars are competing in the Desert Swing - Steve Stricker this week following Phil Mickelson's appearance in Abu Dhabi, with Tiger Woods jetting in for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic next week.

Stricker will partner Westwood for the first two rounds, and the World Number One can see more Americans flocking over in the future.

"It's nice that Steve Stricker, and Phil came over for Abu Dhabi, and Tiger is coming next week," said Westwood. "They are realising that these are big tournaments in their own right as well and they are choosing them over the ones in the States. I think it shows how healthy The European Tour is.

"Our fifth major, the BMW PGA Championship, has a top 50 in the world exemption. Might be nice to see the top Americans come over for that. I think it's just a transition that needs to be made."

Like Kaymer, Westwood played down the current battle for the World Number One spot.

"It's obviously nice for us and for European golf that one and two in the world are here at this tournament and both European," he added. "That just shows the strength of The European Tour now, the kind of fields that we have attracted the first few weeks of the year."

World Number Seven Stricker admitted that the opportunity to pick up significant ranking points was a factor in his decision to appear this week.

"I'm glad I came," he said. "It's an exciting place. The buildings are a little bit different than what I expected I guess, a lot of building going on around here.

"But great people, everybody seems to meet you with a smile and a hello. The hospitality has been really nice. And I'm happy to be here. It's a tournament that I looked at playing last year, too, and just couldn't pull the trigger on it. Finally made the decision to come over and I'm glad I did.

"Another reason what lured me to come over here is the strength of the field. You have Westwood and Kaymer, and Paul Casey winning last week, moving into I think fifth or sixth position.

"So you've got a strong field here, along with other players, Robert Karlsson, past winner from last year. Right now, I think it goes in cycles where you'll have a part of the world dominating the game for a while, like Tiger and Phil were one and two for a period of time.

"Now you've got Westwood and Kaymer who have been playing some great golf over the last year, and I think it kind of goes in cycles. But right now, obviously the top players are over here in Europe and part of the reason why I came here to try to play well in this event."

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