By Satya Rath/Doha
Since 2012, when Branden Grace won the Joburg Open for what was his first European Tour title, he has maintained an enviable record—of not losing a tournament when leading or sharing the lead going into the final round.
Yesterday, the South African did it yet again, and for the sixth time in his career.
Sharing the lead with three others going into the final round of the US$2.5 million Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, Grace never let his guard down even once, opening and closing with birdies, with an eagle on the 16th being the icing on the cake. His bogey-free 66 gave him a four-day total of 19-under-par 269, which despite a valiant attempt by brave Scot Marc Warren and a spirited challenge by playing partner Bernd Wiesberger of Austria, proved one shot too far in the end.
Grace becomes the fourth South African to lift the Mother of Pearl Trophy—following Darren Fichardt (2003), Ernie Els (2005) and Retief Goosen (2007)—as he followed up a win in South Africa last month to move to third place on the Race to Dubai rankings.
The 26-year-old, who burst onto the world stage with four European Tour victories in 2012, was presented with a cheque of US$416,660 by Abdulla Saleh al-Raisi, CEO of Commercial Bank, which earlier in the week announced a three-year extension of its title sponsorship of the European Tour event.
“It was a great day, a great week, and it’s another trophy to put in the cupboard. This is definitely one of the tournaments I wanted to win, so I’m proud of myself that I managed to do it,” said Grace, who finished joint-sixth in 2013 and tied for 13th last year.
“The Middle East is one of the places I’ve always wanted to win. I started off the season well in 2012 as well, so hopefully this will be a good season and it just continues forward.”
Grace, playing in the penultimate pairing, started the day from the front nine at 13-under and made a gain on the opening hole itself. After 10 straight pars, Grace shared the lead with five other players before making a move with birdies on the 12th and 14th.
He was in a share of the lead with Wiesberger and Warren before powering clear with a spectacular eagle on the 295-yard, par-four 16th, when he drove to six feet from the flag.
After a par on the short 17th, Grace laid up on the par-five 18th and nailed his third shot to six feet. While walking to the green, Grace became aware that Warren had made gains on the 16th and 17th to draw level on 18-under, so the South African was under pressure to sink a crucial birdie putt that ultimately secured the title.
“I started with a nice birdie and then the round didn’t go really my way, but I just stuck to my guns and made a couple of birdies. Making that eagle putt on the 16th and par putt on the 17th was the key.
“On the final hole, the putt was actually a similar distance and similar break, so I just told myself: ‘You just made one on 17, you can do it again’. You make it, you think you’re going to win, and if you miss, you know that pretty much you’re not going to win. I had a nice putt, but then the wait starts and I watched the television as Marc finished his round,” Grace added.
Grace started the week ranked 79th but could return to the world’s top 50 after his latest success, putting him in contention for Majors and WGC events. Yesterday’s win was his sixth victory in his 124th European Tour event, and his second victory of the 2015 season, following his win in the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
It’s the second time in his European Tour career that he has recorded multiple victories in the same season. The other year was 2012, when he won his first four titles: Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions, Volvo China Open and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
He also becomes the 16th different winner of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in the 18 years the event has been played, and the second-youngest South African to win six European Tour events, aged 26 years and 249 days. The youngest is Charl Schwartzel, aged 26 years and 138 days.
Warren, who started the day with back-to-back birdies, saw his title charge stall when he double-bogeyed the short eighth after his tee shot found the water. The Scot recovered well to sink six more birdies on the back nine but faltered on the 18th when his 10-feet birdie putt missed the pin by a whisker.
Wiesberger (68) finished third at 17-under, a week after the Austria No. 1 finished sixth in Abu Dhabi, while young Englishman Eddie Pepperell (67) was fourth on 16-under.
Rising Korean star Ben An Byeong-hun enjoyed his best European Tour result as he shot a 65 to lie 15-under, sharing fifth place with Gregory Bourdy (65) of France and young Argentine Emiliano Grillo (70).
World No. 2 Henrik Stenson, the top-ranked player in the field, carded a 66 to finish on 10-under and was joined by Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose (68), the World No. 5.
Ernie Els (71), the four-time Major champion, finished eight-under, while defending champion Sergio Garcia shot his third 69 of the week to finish four-under, with his title defence undone by a third-round 77.
Branden Grace poses with the Mother of Pearl Trophy after winning the Qatar Masters yesterday.
