Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Alvaro Quiros hole-in-one wins Dubai Desert Classic - BBC Sport
Dubai Desert Classic fourth-round leaderboard:
-11 A Quiros (Spa) -10 J Kingston (SA), A Hansen (Den)
Selected others: -6 R McIlroy (NI), C Wood (Eng), B Dredge (Wal), S Gallacher (Sco) R Fisher (Eng) -5 L Westwood (Eng), JM Olazabal (Spa) -4 T Woods (USA) S Garcia (Spa) -2 M Kaymer (Ger) +5 C Montgomerie (Sco)
Spaniard Alvaro Quiros lost a ball in a tree but later made amends with a hole-in-one as he won the Dubai Desert Classic by one shot on 11 under.
Quiros aced the par-three 11th, only three holes after a triple-bogey seven at the eighth, to beat South African James Kingston and Dane Anders Hansen.
Three successive bogeys ended Rory McIlroy's hopes at six under.
World number one Lee Westwood finished on five under while a double-bogey on 18 left Tiger Woods on four under.
Quiros' final score of 68 was among one of the most bizarre tournament-winning rounds in the history of the European Tour.
The 28-year-old needed binoculars to search for his ball which was lodged up a palm tree following a wild drive on the eighth.
Quiros calls for the binoculars after hitting his ball up a palm treeHe also carded an eagle at the 351-yard par-four second, four birdies and a bogey, but the complexion of his round changed dramatically when he took a risk with a wedge on the 11th from 161 yards to hole a sensational hole-in-one - the third of the week at the Majilis Course.
It was Quiros's fifth - and biggest - victory on the European Tour, earning 301,353 Euros (£255,127) and moving him to the top of the European money list.
"The start was perfect with the eagle on two, but I was shaken after the eighth," said Quiros, who began the day alongside Woods and compatriot Sergio Garcia in a seven-way tie for fourth place.
"I was lucky with some putts around the turn and then a three-quarters wedge on the 11th - it was a perfect shot - once a year it happens.
"It was like the last piece of a happy birthday cake. It gave me the chance to win the tournament."
Hansen could have taken Quiros into a play-off but he bogeyed the 15th and missed a 40-foot birdie chance on the last.
Westwood remains the world's number one golfer from Martin KaymerWestwood dropped three shots in his final two holes, finishing with a level-par 72, but the Englishman remains at the top of golf's global rankings because world number two Martin Kaymer finished well behind the leading contenders in 31st place.
McIlroy's hopes of adding a second Dubai victory faded on the back nine when he carded successive bogeys in the 14th, 15th and 16th holes.
Two-time Dubai winner Woods is still searching for his first victory since the Australian Masters in November 2009.
The world number three sunk three birdies but his final-round card was littered with bogeys - four in total - as well as a double-bogey on the 18th.
It was the second-worst finish the former world number one has ever had in a regular European Tour event since he turned professional - and his 75 was his worst score on the circuit outside the majors and world championships since he left the amateur ranks.
"There were quite a few positives this week but a couple of glaring examples of what I need to work on," said the American.
"It's like anything. All my old feels (for the clubs) are out the window when the winds blow. That's the thing when you are making change. It's fine when the wind is not blowing.
"But when you have to hit a shot when the wind blows...the new swing patterns get exposed."
Sergio Garcia, who was playing alongside Woods, had real hopes of his first win since November 2008 when he moved into a share of the lead with a 35-foot putt on the first.
But a triple-bogey seven on the ninth sent the world number 79 down the leaderboard and he finished on the same score as Woods.
That means he has failed to move back into the top 64 qualifiers for this month's first World Championship event.
Agences de presses
Labels: Alvaro, Classic, Desert, Dubai, holeinone, Quiros, Sport
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