Qatar Masters Roundup: Thomas Bjorn wins by four shots
The Qatar Masters wrapped up at the Doha Golf Club on 6 February, 2011, with Denmark's Thomas Bjorn winning the $ 2.5 million event.
Bjorn reaped the reward for three rounds of consistent golf, leading by four shots from Spain's Alvaro Quiros. The 39-year old won the title by picking up three birdies in the final round and was the only player in the field to wrap the final 47 holes without
a bogey. He recorded a 69 in the final round for a total of 14-under-par 274.
This was the Danish golfer’s second win in the Middle Eastern desert; the last time he won was in 2001 at the Dubai Desert Classic when he beat Tiger Woods in a sensational match.
The former Ryder star was 134th in the world at the start of the tournament. He now joins the elite 64-man field to play at the Accenture Match Play Championship.
Bjorn was extremely happy with his breakthrough. The winner told the media that he was content that his efforts were beginning to bear results: “It’s a big win and hopefully it can push me onto bigger things.”
Bjorn was chased by the Spaniard, Alvaro Quiros who also finished as a runner-up in 2010 event against Robert Karlsson. Quiros finished four strokes shy of the winner. He parred most of the holes before picking up pace later in the day. He birdied the final
four holes of the round, but after a bogey at the 17th, he surrendered as the runner-up.
“Yesterday I was thinking I was going to finish top five and I'm going to finish second by myself. 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,” Quiros said in a press-conference.
The third spot was taken by Austrian Markus Brier and Spaniard Rafael Cabrera- Bello. The duo scored an aggregate of 9-under-par.
David Howell finished one stroke below the duo; he picked up five birdies against a single bogey and finished fifth.
The sixth spot of the tournament was taken by a trio, which included the defending champion, Robert Karlsson. The Swede drafted a disappointing 70-69-69-74 in the four-day session.
Retief Goosen who started the tournament in the lead, faltered in the next two rounds finishing 19th alongside a group, which included Paul Lawrie. The Scot fabricated a fantastic score in the second round when he fired eight birdies, but failed
to replicate his performance and faltered.
Louis Oosthuizen wrapped the day with a score of 76. Englishman Ian Poulter finished in the bottom most section by carving two double-bogeys and one bogey against three birdies, while Miguel Angel Jimenez finished second last.
Stephen Gallacher, John Daly, and John Parry were the only players who managed an eagle in the round.
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