Alvaro Quiros comes from behind to win the Dubai Desert Classic
The last round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic proved to be one of many surprises and disappointments. We saw the hot favourites, seemingly firmly perched upon their thrones, cast down by upstarts from way down the scorecard. It was a Cinderella story
that played out with clubs and golf balls.
By the end of the second round, the widely-tipped-to-win Rory McIlroy held the lead with Spainiard Sergio Garcia and South African Thomas Aiken hot on his heels. Further down tied for 4th place was Tiger Woods and Denmark’s Anders Hansen. And
even further down, tied at eight was Alvaro Quiros.
The third round was a disaster for the front-runners. McIlroy started with three bogeys in three holes but managed to claw back to the first position, this time tied with Aiken and Hansen. Garcia, who had tenaciously held on to the lead after McIlroy dropped
down, shot three bogeys and (as if that weren’t enough) a double bogey that put him down at 7th place.
Tiger Woods meanwhile had a day as erratic as it possibly could’ve been. He mixed four birdies and an eagle with four bogies and a double bogey, which also put him tied for 7th place. All in all, a windy Saturday proved to be the great equalizer
and left atleast 10 people competing for the prize.
The final round saw the rarest of occurrences, a hole-in-one. But it wasn’t enough to seal the victory for Alvaro Quiros, who had to fight till the very last hole with Hansen.
McIlroy shot another disappointing round of 74 which put him in 10th place. Woods, who was two shots behind with seven holes to play, ruined his chances with a double bogey that sent him to 20th place. Lee Westwood fared a little better.
The English golfer was one behind with four holes to go but double bogeyed and eventually finished 15th. He managed to hold onto his World No.1 ranking though. Martin Kaymer, who would’ve taken the spot if he finished in the top two, was down in
31st.
The fight was then between Hansen and Quiros. Quiros, who had a triple bogey on the eight after he got his ball stuck up a tree, managed a 12 foot-putt on the 16th to secure a birdie which put him ahead of Hansen, who bogeyed the 15th
hole. Quiros held off Hansen in the final two holes which he only managed to par. But this was enough to hand the Spaniard his 5th victory on the European Tour.
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