Quiros takes the title at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2011
It has been another great desert swing ending Golf tournament in Dubai. The leaderboard was like a yo yo back and forward, across several players, over all four days.
Today was no different with the lead swinging between a bunch of players. The potentially exciting Woods and Garcia pairing failed to ignite and there rounds were not pretty, both taking birdies then dropping shots.
Several other players were also in with a chance today at some point, trying to predict a winner became impossible with all the fluctuating scores, literally hole by hole. There were shots on the monitors of some of the Pro's playing out of sandy lie's and pathways either side of the fairways, which was fascinating to watch.
Rory hung in there but he also could not make a charge and the same went for Velasco his playing partner. Strange and Kingston hit good rounds of 68 and 67 respectively to put themselves in with a chance and South African kingston finished 1 behind the winner.
PHOTO: Quiros collecting the trophy
Anders Hansen had a chance on the last hole to pull level with the leader and force a play off, which he just could not do, but he came in with -10 as well a creditable tournament for him.
The main story of the day though was Alvaro Quiros, who won with -11 on what was an amazing round of golf. The scorecard of Quiros had everything, including hole scores of 1,2,3,4,5 and a 7, it was only minus a 6 to complete the set!!
He had an eagle on the second, a timely hole in one on the 11th and a triple bogey on the 8th. The triple bogey also involved one of his shots getting caught in a tree, with a European tour chief using a pair of binoculars to check the marking on the ball to make sure it was Quiros's.
In the press conference after Quiros was humble and appreciative of the luck that he had but he was also happy with the way he came back from that +3 hole with a birdie on the next hole and hole in one on 2 holes after. Quiros battled away on his round like many of the others in the field and was a deserved winner in the end. With his infectious personality in the press conference, lets hope he wins some more tournaments and we see him in the winners circle again soon because all sport needs glowing people and personalities, I could not help but warm to his enthusiasm.
PHOTO: Quiros looking at the prize after his win
In the 3 years I have seen the Desert Classic live and in the flesh, it always seems to bring drama, story and most importantly great golf. It has brought to an end in style another extended desert swing and if you add the DWC last november it has been a festival of UAE Golf. You have to get yourself here for the next installment, it is truly an experience. Congratulations to Quiros it would be good to see him win again here in the UAE, especially as the courses suit him as he stated afterwards.
Paul
UAE Golf Online
