Doha: World Number Five Justin Rose’s runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi has confirmed him as one of the favourites to winthis week’s $2.5m Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
World Number 11 Jason Dufner, former World Number One Martin Kaymer, Peter Hanson and Branden Grace– all among the highest-ranked players at Doha Golf Club this week – also finished in the top 10 in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Sunday.
Rose, who led after each of the first three rounds, lipped out with his birdie putt on 18 to narrowly miss forcing a play-off with eventual champion Jamie Donaldson.
After signing for a closing one-under-par 71 and a 13-under total of 275, the tall Englishman said he was increasingly determined to get his hands on the Mother of Pearl Trophy at Doha Golf Club.
“I ran with the lead the whole way and it would have been lovely to finish it off wire to wire. It was a long, hard week to end up finishing second. I’ve had three seconds now in the UAE, but I’ll keep chipping away at it,” said Rose, one of five players from Europe’s victorious 2012 Ryder Cup competing in Doha.
“I will hopefully have another opportunity to go one better in Qatar.I don’t think I need to do anything different. I just need to keep chipping away and keep swinging well. I think I’m gaining more confidence with the putter, so I believe I’m going to make the putts more often than not.”
Grace, a four-time winner on last year’s European Tour, finished fifth at 10-under after the 24-year-old South African bagged 10 birdies in a 65, the day’s lowest round.Kaymer, a 10-time European Tour winner, shot a 69 to tie for sixth at nine-under.
Dufner, the third-highest ranked player in this week’s field in Qatar, carded a 68 to shareninthplace at eight-under along with Hanson (69), a two-time winner on last year’s European Tour.
Dufner, who shot five birdies in his first eight holes, believes he’s on the cusp of producing something special as the American star prepares to make his tournament debut in Doha.
“I got off to a good start, but I couldn’t convert a par putt on nine and from there I just couldn’t get anything going. I hit it well and played pretty well the whole week, but just didn’t quite score as well as I’d like. The putter didn’t quite cooperate and a couple of putts each day added up to a pretty big number,” said Dufner, who won twice on last year’s US PGA Tour.
“I feel like my game is right there. I never feel like I’m too far off from playing really well. I came over to play these two events, in Abu Dhabi and Doha, which have got some great fields, great golf courses. I’m looking forward to Doha and playing some more golf here in the Middle East.”
South African legend Ernie Els shot a closing 70, which left the reigning Open Champion tied for 39th on two-under.
The four-time Major winner heads to Doha bidding to add to his previous victory in 2005.
Paul Lawrie carded a 72 to finish even-parbefore heading to Doha, where the 44-year-old Scot will defend his title. Lawrie won the first of his Commercial Bank Qatar Masters titles in 1999.
World Number Four Louis Oosthuizen and popular Spaniard Sergio Garcia are two of the star players in Doha this week who did not compete in the UAE, but both are confident after winning their most recent tournaments. Oosthuizen won this year’s first European Tour event, the Volvo Golf Champions in his native South Africa, while Garcia won last month’s Iskandar Johor Open on the Asian Tour and will start his 2013 campaign in Doha.
The Peninsula
