PAUL LAWRIE FINISHES TIED 11th DESPITE SUB-PAR FIINAL ROUND

    GARCIA WINS QATAR PLAY-OFF

          Sergio Garcia with the magnificent winner's trophy. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

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Sergio Garcia claimed his 11^th European Tour title in dramatic fashion after a nail-biting play-off with Mikko Ilonen at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters today.

In fast fading light at Doha Golf Club, Garcia eventually saw off the Finn with a birdie at the third extra hole to collect the €305,232 winner’s cheque and move to second place in The Race to Dubai.

After both men had finished on 16 under par – Garcia courtesy of a superb closing round of 65 and Ilonen with a 66 – the duo halved the first two play-off holes with birdie 4s.

Third time around, Ilonen’s tee shot found the right rough and his approach ended up in the bunker, giving Garcia – who had located the heart of the green with his second shot – the chance to win it with an eagle 3, only for his putt to roll agonisingly past the cup.

Faced with a 20 foot putt to take the play-off into a fourth hole, Ilonen’s effort drifted wide to hand Garcia his first European Tour victory since the 2011 Andalucía Masters.

The Spaniard said: “It’s been a bit of a wait for my 11^th win, I came close a few times last season, including here in Qatar, but didn’t quite manage to get the job done. So it’s nice to get the win, and great to get more Ryder Cup points on the board.

“I feel like my game’s coming together really nicely – although I wouldn’t have said that after the first round, when I played terribly but shot one of the best rounds of 71 in my career. So to recover from that and grind out a win does an awful lot for my confidence, and the rest of the season excites me.”

Despite tasting defeat in the first play-off of his career, Ilonen was still pleased with his week’s work.

He said: “I played good golf this week, so I can’t be too disappointed. I gave it my best shot, but Sergio was a bit better this time. There’s no shame in losing to a great player like him.”

Garcia’s compatriot Rafa Cabrera-Bello finished in a tie for third place on 15 under par alongside Thorbjørn Olesen after the pair carded respective rounds of 69 and 68. 
SCOTSWATCH: Paul Lawrie, only two shots off the pace at the start of the day in joint fourth place, could not get the score in the 60s he needed, either to win the tournament for a third time or finish high up to boost his Ryder Cup selection prospects.
The 45-year-old Aberdonian finished joint 11th on 12-under-par 276 with scores of 67, 70, 69 and 70. He earned 32,599 Euros.
Stephen Gallacher finished on the eight-under 280 mark, signing off with his third sub-70 of the week, a 68 to earn 16,849 Euros. It was that third-round 75 that prevented a Feast of Stephen.
Craig Lee earned 9,830 Euros for a total of 283, closing with a par 72
Chris Doak finished with a 73 for level par 288 and a 3,846 Euros payslip. 

  

ALL THE FINAL TOTALS Play-off details:

Garcia 4 4 4

Ilonen 4 4 5

Par 288 (4x72) prizemoney in Euros
272 S Garcia  (Esp) 71 67 69 65, M Ilonen (Fin) 68 67 71 66 (Garcia, 305,232, bt Ilonen, 203,486, at third hole of sudden death play-off.

273 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 66 65 73 69, T Olesen (Den) 68 69 68 68 (103,109 each)

274 G Coetzee (RSA) 64 69 73 68, A Cañizares  (Esp) 68 68 73 65, S Webster (Eng) 65 69 70 70, T Aiken (RSA) 67 68 70 69 (60,620 each).

275 D Van Der Walt (RSA) 65 72 70 68, M Carlsson  (Swe) 69 71 70 65 (38,826 each).

276 P Lawrie (Sco) 67 70 69 70, R Wattel  (Fra) 67 68 74 67 (32,599 each).

277 B Grace  (RSA), 67 69 71 70, C Del Moral (Esp) 72 68 69 68, S Benson (Eng) 68 71 69 69 (28,113 each). 

278 D Fichardt (RSA) 69 70 69 70, S Dyson  (Eng) 68 69 71 70, J Carlsson (Swe) 69 65 72 72, A Saddier (Fra) 70 71 64 73; P Uihlein  (USA) 70 69 69 70 (23,272 each), D Foos (am) (RSA) 70 70 70 68.

279 M Baldwin (Eng) 68 66 74 71, G Bhullar (Ind) 67 70 73 69, P Hanson (Swe) 69 67 75 68, F Zanotti (Par) 69 69 68 73, R Rock (Eng) 70 71 81 67, T Hatton (Eng) 69 71 71 68 (19,871 each).

280 J Quesne  (Fra); K Broberg (Swe); S Gallacher (Sco) 69 68 75 68, A Quiros  (Esp); H Stenson (Swe) (16,849 each).

281 S Kapur (Ind); R Bland (Eng); G Stal  (Fra); T Jaidee (Tha);

282 T Lewis (Eng); H Otto (RSA); E Els (RSA); B Koepka  (USA); A Wall (Eng); S Hansen (Den);

283 M Siem  (Ger); D Willett  (Eng); R Fisher (Eng); C Lee (Sco) 72 67 72 72 R Derksen (Ned); R Santos  (Por); J Singh (Ind); C Wood  (Eng); S Manley (Wal); R Dinwiddie  (Eng); S Thornton (Irl) (3,340 each).

284 F Calmels  (Fra); R Karlsson (Swe); M Fraser (Aus)

285 M Kaymer (Ger); L Donald  (Eng); M Foster (Eng); S Kjeldsen (Den)

286 M Hoey  (Nir); J Daly (USA)

287 J Olazábal (Esp); E Pepperell (Eng); P McGinley (Irl); J Morrison  (Eng)

288 C Doak (Sco) 69 72 74 73, N Elvira  (Esp); W Ormsby (Aus) (3,846 each)

289 J Lima  (Por); M Crespi  (Ita)

290 V Riu  (Fra); J Dufner (USA)

291 E Grillo (Arg)

292 T Fleetwood  (Eng)

293 L Slattery (Eng)

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