European Tour - Qatar Masters

First topic message reminder :

What would you prefer to see more at the moment? A duel between #1&2 or one between #4&5? After last week's 1&2 fiasco, I know what I would like to watch... It was great to read the two articles on the European Tour website on the two top contenders at the Qatar Masters, Rose and Oosthuizen, and to hear both of them feeling really confident and having the #1 spot in the world very much in their minds (as well as in their sights) as a future goal. If you want to find the two top players in the world who are also in peak form at the moment, you probably won't have to look further then these two. Let's just hope they won't disappoint this week...Don't forget: this will have an early start... begins tomorrow and ends Saturday!

The Qatar Masters has a long enough history as a Middle East golf tournament, but it really hit the big league from 2006 when Commercial Bank came in as main sponsor...

Spoiler:

From those playing this year, Paul Lawrie has the best record here with two wins, and he will be, of course, the defending champion this year. But other guys like Bjorn, Stenson, Garcia and even Gonzo have done really well here during the years, so look for them to be up there in contention again. Pitty once again about Quiros, who is not playing this week, and who also has a really good record here...

I don't know too much about the Middle East golf courses, but at least from what I saw on tv in the past, the Doha course would be one of my favorites in that part of the world. But if you want a very well informed view of the course, you can read Peter Hanson's guide over here:

http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2013/tournamentid=2013007/news/newsid=183496.html

Unsurprisingly, the weather is supposed to be mild this week and the winds, which can be very tricky here, are forecasted as 'light'...

Seve, when you've been around longer to post more than 20 posts, then you'll know that aside from my dislike of Woods and my poking of fun at the hideous Lowry you would know I have plenty balanced contributions.

You make no convincing arguments in your last post at all, and if you don't like mine then simply ignore them.

For the record, all i did was make a comparison to the number of cuts Campbell makes with the number of time you'll see Nine CHins smile and you react as if I've just sha**ed your mum.

super_realist wrote:You just have to be an average hitter with a tidy short game, hitting it 300 yards means nothing if you can't hit greens, get up and down or putt.

Totally agree...nice balenced comment there super

Put a couple of quid on Campbell yesterday, doing very nicely today.

carnt help but like the guy, resilient!

Super_realist: Just because I haven't been a frequent poster on here in the past (and let's face it's quite a childish response to suggest that as a reason for me not being able to point out your shortcomings) it doesn't mean I haven't been reading the forums for a long time. Iv read your posts on all sorts of different topics and I have to say on a large majority of them you do aim to just wind people up. I will admit though on occasion some are well argued. As for my argument not having any notable points I rather think its a case of you not wanting to read the truth. Either that or you just can't think of anything constructive to say back.

Seve, it's simple, if you don't like what I post fine, ignore it. Don't needlessly drag it out.
You are basing your arguments on your opinion, I've always had a boisterous style, if it winds you up, it's not really my problem how you take it, I'm not going to start writing like a Guardian journalist just to please you.

Lets leave it and move on.

Wow, Chris Wood's round has really taken of. -8 with two to play and 2 in front of MC and SG. That would make for a very nice top 3.

Wood pars 17 and has a bit of a wayward drive on 18, so doubtful whether he will be able to set a -16 target

Great round so far by Chris Wood and Sergio

Campbell 2 back with 4 to play, lovely!

fantastic 3rd shot by Wood should give him birdie on the 18th

Misses by an inch. Clubhouse target at -15. I'd be surprised to see anyone better that.

Par for Chris Wood and the biggest test of his career coming up tomorrow.
He's had opportunities at winning a big one before, but will his win last year give him the resilience he needs to beat this field?

Really like Chris Wood and would love it if he wins tomorrow...
Always a HUGE presence on the golf course with his 6ft 5in. I remember following him and Ross Fisher a couple of years ago at the Irish Open, they looked like two giants when walking by...

Spoiler:

You've heard it here first: if he wins tomorrow, he'll become the tallest golfer in the top 100 rankings!

He actually can move all the way up close to the top 60, so it'll be a great step forward and upward at the right time for him...

Top 64/65/66 anyway and good for the MatchPlay.

I really hope he wins too as I am a big fan of the local lad. I truly believe he can win big events. but needs to get some self belief.

Just watched sergio on the last presumably trying to find a pitchmark to prove his ball entererd the hazard 'sideways'reminded me of seve .
Super chip from his eventual dropping spot which still looked a bit dubious.
Great chance for wood tomorrow

Let's not jinx Chris Wood! Given his performances in The Open in 2008 and 2009, he's been on my list of long odds potential dark horses for the big one, but unfortunately lost form in the meantime.

He was leading at Wentworth going into the last day in 2010, and I suspect the occasion unnerved him - which I hope can now be seen as a learning experience.

Oddly, wasn't it Simon "Chaka" KHAAA-AAAAN who won that tournament, and who lies in T2 in this one?

Sky,
The US Weather Channel has started to follow the habit of naming hurricanes by naming Winter Storms. And they just named Winter Storm "Khan"!

They must know something that we don't!!

Woods & Wood on fire!

Brilliant round of 64 from RCB this morning, needs it to keep himself inside the top 64 frame and hopefully to move back inside the top 50 this year...

Very good week for English golfers, with 6 inside the top 10 (7 if you include the Fish), Sullivan and Lockerbie looking for one their best results yet...

Sullivan looks very capable ex walker cupper could be in for a big season.Steve Webster seeing a bit of form also.

Wood turning into ashes? Hopefully not... Ugly double at the 3rd, needs to regroup. Bad start for Campbell as well...

EDIT: ...and for Olesen...

Great effort from Dufner. Looked a bit frustrated the first day with the greens, but he didn't complain, learned how to deal with it and got better and better ever since. Great attitude. Already said yesterday that he is thinking to return next year for the desert swing...

Good birdie for Wood at the 5th to steady the ship...

great chance for steve webster he made 6 birdies on the back nine yesterday and the same 9 holes left today.Wish I had sky!

Is Wood the CHIII of th ET?

Coetzee moves into a two stroke lead. I cansee him take it away from Wood

pedro wrote:Is Wood the CHIII of th ET?

I reckon he needs a little more than the couple (3?) of RU's he has accumulated

The member 'themightyone' has done the following action : Dices roll

'D10' : 3

What have I done just now? Not really suitable for my iPhone, this platform

Sad to see MC drop to T21 with a few to play. Horrible round...

Any bets on a 3-way playoff between Coetzee/Garcia/Wood?

GC putting all the pressure on CW with a birdie on 18, leaving CW needing at least one on his final 3 holes to reach a playoff. SG will have to settle for 3rd place unless he comes up with something extraordinary

princedracula wrote:Any bets on a 3-way playoff between Coetzee/Garcia/Wood?

Not me. Noren seems to be worth a punt as he is 250/1 and only needs to overcome a five stroke deficit over the last 2 holes

princedracula wrote:Any bets on a 3-way playoff between Coetzee/Garcia/Wood?

Looks that way...thought 16 was going to cost Sergio but two great approaches on 17 - 18

Sergio's in, so hope Chris does the business with a birdie these last two holes...

SG has pulled it off, amazing! Now tied for the lead in the clubhouse. CW has 2 to go and needs -1 for a playoff and -2 for an outright win

Lots of good humour out there - nice to see.

Great way for Sergio to begin his season - sign of things to come?

Rose back to 4th in the World?

And Noren badly needs a bird on 18.

Wow at the two shots Wood has played at 18!!! 12 ft to win!

What a response from Wood! Could even get the eagle now...

Superb!!! Delighted for him...

Wow.

Nice one, Chris - that's how to finish a tournament in style.

The thought occurred to me that his flat stick in most other players' hands would be a belly putter...

pedro wrote:Is Wood the CHIII of th ET?

Is Coetzee the CHIII of the ET?

Incredible! CW eagles the 18th to win it!!

Yes!! So pleased for him. First of many I hope.

Well done CW!

Obituaries for the European Tour seen to be extremely premature. What a great advertisement for European Tour golf.

Nice interview too. Chris Wood like a young lad who's just seen the presents by the Christmas tree.

PS: Any idea who the new voice was on the Golf Channel's feed - sounded South African and about 30 years younger than Denis Hutchinson?

Here's Chris Wood's new status for the "World" big events... He wasn't qualified for any of these before today's win.

WGC-MATCH PLAY - MAYBE - His win today moves him to "about" #60 in the OWGR (as per PD and pending the Farmers outcome) so not yet safe into the Match Play (top-64 as of Feb 10)

WGC-Cadillac - PROBABLY- He needs top-50 OWGR or top-10 Race to Dubai as of Feb 27 to get in, if he does ANYTHING for the next month he should remain top-10 R2D.

Masters - NOT YET - Needs Top-50

Players - NOT CLOSE - He needs a PGAT sanctioned win to get in.

U.S. Open - MAYBE - He needs OWGR top-60 as of May 21 or June 11.

British Open - NOT YET - Top-50 on May 20 is the key one... but maintaining a high position in the R2D rankings could do it also.

WGC-Bridgestone - IN - Via winning Qatar, a world wide event with an OWGR strength of field of 115 or better (this one was 287 for a level 48 event)

PGA - NOT YET - Effectively the OWGR top-100 get in, so he's greatly improved his position.

WGC-HSBC - IN - Qatar is a qualifying event for the HSBC

What was really great about this tournament finish, was that in the last 30-40 minutes of the competition, each of the top 3 players left in the race did/achieved almost maximum from what there was left: Coetzee got two birdies in the last three holes to get the clubhouse lead and set the target, then Garcia brilliantly birdied the last two holes to catch Coetzee, and then, of course, Chris Wood got the very maximum from the last hole to beat the other two outright...

princedracula wrote:What was really great about this tournament finish, was that in the last 30-40 minutes of the competition, each of the top 3 players left in the race did/achieved almost maximum from what there was left: Coetzee got two birdies in the last three holes to get the clubhouse lead and set the target, then Garcia brilliantly birdied the last two holes to catch Coetzee, and then, of course, Chris Wood got the very maximum from the last hole to beat the other two outright...

No doubt... most EXCELLENT play by all three under pressure... When Wood "Alice"d that birdie putt on #17 I was wondering.. but he sure made up for it on 18 didn't he?

Good win for Wood, usually goes into reverse gear on Sundays, may e the fact that the last day was a Saturday helped him.
Probably win a few now.

pedro wrote:

pedro wrote:Is Wood the CHIII of th ET?

Is Coetzee the CHIII of the ET?

And does he have a Coetzee car at each tournament?

watched the last few holes again whilst at the gym earlier and the greens looked pretty ropey dreadfull spike mark right on the line of woods putt on 17 left hin 3/4 feet short,Almost worth aiming to the side if it to get nearer the hole.One of those contentious rules still not solveable really