Paul Lawrie of Scotland, poses for a picture with his trophy after winning the 2012 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters title at Doha Golf Club in this file photo.
Doha: Ryder Cup star Paul Lawrie has confirmed he will attempt to win a record third Commercial Bank Qatar Masters title next month to add to his victories in 1999 and February this year.
The 43-year-old is only the event’s second two-time champion, following Australian Adam Scott who won in 2002 and 2008.
The 16th Commercial Bank Qatar Masters will be played from January 23 to 26 (Wednesday to Saturday), at Doha Golf Club (DGC), positioning the $2.5m event at the heart of the 2013 European Tour’s three-week Middle East swing.
Now enjoying a ‘second wind’ in his career, Lawrie won two European Tour titles in 2012, finished 10th in the Race To Dubai with over €1.9m, reached a career-high world ranking and beat Brandt Snedeker in the singles to help Europe retain The Ryder Cup.
Although hot off what he describes as the most ‘consistent’ season of his career, the 1999 Open Champion has tempered expectations of another victory in Doha.
“It’s a tournament I enjoy, where I’ve not only won twice but had a lot of good finishes. It’ll be my third event of 2013 so I should be game sharp, more than I would be if it was my first event,” said Lawrie, who will head to Doha after competing in European Tour events in Durban, South Africa and Abu Dhabi, UAE.
“I know the course well, as we’ve played there many times. I look forward to going back, but there are very few people who go to tournaments and successfully defend. Obviously you go there with good feelings, but sometimes that holds you back a wee bit, makes it harder to win again,” the Scotsman added.
Although strong winds reduced this year’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters to 54 holes, Lawrie was in his element on the 7,374-yard Championship Course.
Adept at keeping the ball low and nicknamed ‘Chippy’ for his short-game prowess, the Scot chipped-in twice during a closing 65 that gave him a 15-under-par total of 201, blowing the field away with a four-stroke win and leaving the likes of Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer in his wake.
The Aberdeen born and bred, Lawrie is relishing the winter conditions in Qatar for next year’s tournament.
He said: “I just like playing in Doha. It’s ‘linksy’, it’s windy, you’ve got to knock the ball down, you’ve got to think a wee bit more. It’s not just stand up and give it a ‘batter’,” said Lawrie, who won the first of his eight European Tour titles in 1996.”
The defending champion added: “I enjoy it that way. You’ve got to play the ball, shape the ball a wee bit, which is unusual these days. You don’t have to do that very often, but Qatar’s got that. It’s always breezy, but even though it’s windy, scoring’s always good because there are chances and the greens are firm, which we like. But you’ve got to keep the ball down.”
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