Branden Grace Wins Shootout At Qatar Masters
By Les Bailey
Apr 13, 2013; Augusta, GA, USA; Branden Grace chips and holes his shot out of a bunker on the 2nd hole during the third round of the 2013 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports
Branden Grace fired a six under par 66 in the final round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters to post a nine under total on the Doha Golf Course, and record his sixth career European Tour win, the second in the 2015 Race To Dubai season. The 26 year-old South African held off a hard-charging Marc Warren to add a Mother of Pearl Trophy to his collection. Warren finished one shot back.
Grace went three under in the final three holes which began with an eagle at the par four 16th hole, and ended with a phenomenal birdie at the last hole. The young South African went bogey-free in the rare Saturday finale’ and Warren’s double bogey at the eighth hole proved to be the difference.
The 33 year-old Scot hit his approach to the 72nd hole from the same spot in the 18th fairway, and missed the birdie putt that would have forced a playoff.
“It was a great day, a great week, and it’s another trophy to put in the cupboard,” said Grace. “I’m going to thank Callaway again – that driver again on 16 to four feet; without that it wouldn’t be possible.
“That wedge on the fifth hole, that was a shot that you want to hit but you don’t always manage it.
“The form has been there, I played great and I managed to get in on top.”
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Branden Grace beat fellow countryman, Louis Oosthuizen by seven strokes to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship back in December, which was the first 2015 tournament that awarded Race To Dubai points.
After his win at the second stop on the European Tours Desert Swing, Grace moves into third place in the Race To Dubai standings, behind Brits Danny Willett, and Ross Fischer.
Lost in the excitement was the third place finish by Austrian, Bernd Wiesberger. Wiesberger had a share of the 36-hole lead, but couldn’t overcome two early bogeys. The young Austrian carded a four under par 68 in the finale’ and finished at 17 under par, two shots back.
Twenty-two year-old Emiliano Grillo started his day with a share of the lead, and hopes of wining his first European Tour championship, but couldn’t make enough birdies to keep pace with the leaders. The young Argentine carded a bogey-free, two under par 70 and couldn’t capitalize on the great start.
The three best rounds of the day were seven under par, 65’s posted by South Korean, Byeong Hun An, Frenchman, Gregory Bourdy, and Swede, Alex Noren. An, and Bourdy finished tied for fifth place with Grillo, and Noren finished solo ninth.
The world number two, Henrik Stenson saved his week by posting a six under par 66 in the Saturday finish, and moved up 26 spots on the leaderboard. After missing the cut in Abu Dhabi, the big Swede got off to a slow start in Qatar, but looks to be ready for Dubai next week.
Stenson struggled to make the cut, and couldn’t get out of the 70’s until Saturday. He finished tied for 13th place with a host of players.
Defending champ, Sergio Garcia shot three rounds of 69, but could not overcome the disaster that was Friday. Garcia got sideways on the back nine on Moving Day, and shot 42, which included two double bogeys, three bogeys, and three birdies.
The Qatar Masters was entertaining, to say the least. With a rare, Wednesday start, and Saturday finish, it turned into a shootout that golf fans love to see. It provided a finish with a lot of drama, to go along with some great golf.
Source: EuropeanTour.com