Robert Karlsson produced a bogey-free final round seven-under-par 65 to win the Commercialbank Qatar Masters by three strokes in Doha today. The 40-year-old Swede claimed his first victory since the 2008 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after topping the leaderboard at 15-under-par following the best round of the week on a tense final day at Doha Golf Club.
Big-hitting Alvaro Quiros birdied the final three holes of his bogey-free 67 to produce an admirable title defence as the Spaniard claimed second place, one shot clear of a frustrated Lee Westwood and Australia’s Brett Rumford.
European number one Westwood could only manage a final round 70 to claim a 12th top-10 finish in his last 15 events, while Rumford picked up two late birdies in a three-under-par 69.
Peter Lawrie finished best of the Irish having carded a three-under-par 69 to move to six under. Graeme McDowell was one behind him after a 71, while Shane Lowry enjoyed another encouraging week after his fourth place in Abu Dhabi last week, by finishing on three under with a 72.
Michael Hoey ende on level par with Gareth Maybin three over after a 74.
After becoming the first Swedish player to be named European number one in 2008, Karlsson missed four months last year after suffering from blurred vision caused by fluid behind the retina in his left eye.
After recording his 10th professional victory, Karlsson said: “It was a tough time coming back.
“I had a couple of good finishes at the end of last year with Henrik (Stenson) at the World Cup and with a second in Japan, but it is fantastic to be back now.
“I am really happy to be back playing well, it is the first time I have played really well for a long time and the way I finished off today was very satisfying.”
Oliver Wilson (71) finished with a hat-trick of birdies to share fifth at eight-under-par alongside joint overnight leaders Bradley Dredge (74) and Paul Casey (74).
Thomas Bjorn carded his only sub-70 round of the week as a 69 secured eighth place at seven-under-par with Peter Lawrie (69), Ricardo Gonzalez (67), Niclas Fasth (71), 2007 champion Retief Goosen (72) and Camilo Villegas (70) rounding out the top 10, nine shots off the pace.
World number four Westwood was forced to use a new driver during today’s final round after cracking the face of his previous club during yesterday’s third round.
He had looked in a determined mood with four birdies in five holes after the turn moving him within one shot of Karlsson with four holes remaining.
But he crucially three putted the par three 16th and after he grew increasingly frustrated with a narrow miss a hole later, Karlsson pulled clear with back-to-back birdies over his closing two holes.
“It’s hard to imagine anything else going wrong this week so 11 under is an unbelievable score,” he said. “I had to play virtually all the back nine with a three wood. You can’t play this course out of the rough and when I pulled the driver out it went in the left rough and it is tough to play it with a three wood because it’s such a long course.
“Long, straight driving is one of my strengths and if you take someone’s strengths away from them it is going to very difficult to compete.”