GOOSEN'S BIRDIE-EAGLE
FINISH PIPS O'HERN
FOR QATAR MASTERS

Retief Goosen of South Africa produced a miraculous finish to claim a one-stroke victory at the expense of Australian Nick O'Hern at the US$2.2 million Commercialbank Qatar Masters today.
The double US Open champion trailed by two strokes with two holes remaining before pulling off a remarkable birdie-eagle finish at the Doha Golf Club to deny a heartbroken O'Hern, who had to settle for a seventh career runner-up finish.
Goosen, the world's No. 8, signed off with a three-under-par 69 for a winning total of 15-under-par 273 and claimed his 14th European Tour victory.
O'Hern, who closed with a 70, had looked poised for a long-awaited triumph in Europe when a birdie on 16 pulled him two clear but the cool South African was given a lifeline with a birdie on 17 and then raised the roof by draining a 30ft eagle putt for a 3 at the par-5 18th. The left-handed Aussie could only par the home hole.
ERNIE ELS THIRD
World No. 5 Ernie Els of South Africa, the 2005 champion, rallied with a 67 to finish third a further stroke back.
The victory was a relief for Goosen, who decided to work with a swing coach last year after a less than fruitful season with only one victory at the Volkswagen Masters-China on the Asian Tour. "It's a great feeling to have a (big) win under the belt again. It's been a while since I last had a win," said Goosen.
"Nick played obviously great. He didn't drive it as well today as he normally does which was surprising. Obviously I never looked like winning, I thought if I could get it to 14-under I might tie with him, but I hit a great putt on the last.
"Having won this early, I'm now looking forward to the rest of the year," he added.
SOMETHING SPECIAL
With his back against the ropes, Goosen need something special and like all great champions, he pulled off the spectacular. "After 15, I said to Colin (his caddie), we somehow need to get to 15‑under.
"I hit a good three‑wood on (the reachable par-4) 16th and went for it but hit a poor chip shot and a poor putt. But I made two great finishing holes. On 18, I never hit the fairway once all week and finally I hit a good drive and hit a good three‑wood," said Goosen.
O'Hern, the co-overnight leader with Richard Green and Goosen, was expecting at least a play-off in front of record crowds before new champion rolled in the unlikely eagle putt. "Two‑up with two to play, I thought I was in good shape," said O'Hern.
"I didn't hit the ball well at all but just my short game kept the round going, which is what it's all about. I never really gave myself a chance to make birdie at the last. The tee shot missed the fairway by a couple of yards and I just had a horrible lie. If I had a wedge in my hand, I might have had a chance. I wasn't really expecting him to make eagle, but as they say, expect the unexpected. It's pretty frustrating," said O'Hern.
Els started the day four shots back before charging up leaderboard. An outstanding finish of three birdies over his closing four holes came up up short. At the end, missed birdie putts on 14 and 17 were decisive in his first 2007 appearance.
CRAZY GAME
"You know, you can't ever give up. Golf is a crazy game as we know. You might chip it in, you might hole a second shot. Something crazy might happen so you always try to keep your options open and keep trying to give yourself a chance for a birdie or an eagle.
"The 14th hole, I can't believe that putt missed. The front nine I was a little scrappy again. Then the back nine I really played nicely. It was really enjoyable," said Els.
Former tournament winner Paul Lawrie finished joint 11th on nine-under-par 279. The Aberdonian played his best golf over the first two rounds and lost his momentum with rounds of 71 and 72 on Saturday and Sunday.
Lawrie had 17 birdies over his first three rounds but only one in his final circuit - at the 10th. His only other deviation from par in his fourth round was a bogey 6 at the 18th, the only time he failed either to birdie or par the hole.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
Players from South Africa unless stated.
273 - Retief Goosen 65-68-71-69 (282,743 Euros).
274 - Nick O'Hern (Aus) 66-69-69-70 (188,495 Euros).
275 - Ernie Els 69-71-68-67 (106,200 Euros).
276 - Richard Green (Aus) 68-65-71-72, Graeme Mcdowell (NIr) 73-68-68-67, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 70-69-71-66 (72,044 Euros each).
277 - Henrik Stenson (Swe) 68-68-70-71, Andres Romero (Arg) 70-71-67-69 (46,653 Euros each).
278 - Liang Wen-Chong (Chi) 69-67-72-70, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71-67-72-68 (35,965 Euros each).
279 - Paul Lawrie (Sco) 69-67-71-72, Søren Kjeldsen (Den) 72-69-66-72, Chris DiMarco (US) 73-66-71-69, Oliver Fisher (Eng) 73-68-70-68, David Lynn (Eng) 73-69-71-66 (27,720 Euros each).
280 - Peter O'Malley (Aus) 73-67-67-73, Nick Dougherty (Eng) 68-71-71-70, Paul McGinley (Ire) 71-68-72-69.
281 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 66-70-73-72, Ariel Canete (Arg) 69-70-72-70, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70-71-73-67.
282 - Edward Michaels (US) 68-69-69-76, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 70-69-70-73, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 70-68-72-72, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 70-71-70-71, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 69-68-75-70.
Other scores included:
283 Michael Campbell (NZ) 70 70 70 73 (jt 27th).
284 Lee Westwood (Eng) 71 70 72 71 (jt 34th).
285 Andrew Coltart (Sco) 69 73 72 71 (jt 37th) (11,027 Euros)
289 Seve Benson (Eng) (am) 72 72 74 71) (jt 58th).