American golfer Patrick Reed with the Qatar Masters trophy in Doha on Sunday, his second title on the DP World Tour in the last three weeks. Image courtesy DP World Tour.
By Rahul Banerji
US star Patrick Reed continued his red-hot run with a second DP World Tour title in three weeks, winning the Qatar Masters by two stroke in Doha on Sunday.
Reed, who won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic before finishing runner-up at last week’s Bahrain Championship, extended that form with victory at the Doha Golf Club, the DP World Tour said.
The five-time DP World Tour winner carded a 2 under par final round of 70 to finish on 16 under, two ahead of Scotland’s Calum Hill who recorded his second consecutive runner-up finish.
“I feel amazing,” Reed said later.
“This one hasn’t fully sunk in yet but with how stressful the day was and to be able to come out and kind of flip the switch around the back nine, and be able to just make par on the last hole obviously feels amazing.
Stellar run
“The golf we’ve played since basically the off-season has been stellar, I feel really confident in my game right now, and it’s always awesome to come and play the way we do, especially over here.
“This is going to allow me to take confidence going into the rest of the year, especially with the different ways I had to do it.
“I had a really comfortable lead in Dubai, and then I had to come chase last week, and then here to have a lead and then lose it and have to fight back.
“I basically did it all three different ways and for me it’s just kind of build on the great things and just move forward and look forward to the rest of the year.
“It’s always been a goal to win the Race to Dubai, especially as an American.
“This year we’re off to a good start. I know there’s a lot of the year left but got ourselves up on top, now hopefully just continue playing some solid golf and get our chance.”
Reed took a two-shot lead into Sunday over Jacob Skov Olesen but after the Dane birdied the first hole and Reed bogeyed the second, the pair were tied at the top.
Tight race
Oliver Lindell quickly joined them and even moved a shot ahead of Reed, starting his round with six birdies and two bogeys before he rounded off the front nine with his first par.
The Finn birdied hole 11 but followed that up with consecutive three-putt bogeys, with Reed birdieing 10 and 11 to move two shots ahead once more.
Jayden Schaper had Sunday’s lowest round, a bogey-free 7 under 65, to set the clubhouse target at 11 under – which dropped to 13 under when Johannes Veerman holed a long birdie putt to round off his 68.
Hill chipped in to eagle 10 and made four consecutive birdies from 14 for a late run into contention, before a par at the last saw him sign for a 14 under total.
Reed birdied 14 before for straight pars to seal the win and climb into pole position on the Race to Dubai Rankings.
Olesen and Veerman shared third place, with Lindell and Dan Bradbury joined by Angel Ayora and Sebastian Söderberg on 12 under for a share of fifth.
The top ten was completed by Schaper, Gregorio De Leo, David Micheluzzi, Antoine Rozner and Kazuma Kobori in a tie for ninth on 11 under.
Three-time Major winner Pádraig Harrington, in his 500th DP World Tour event, was under par for the fourth day in a row with a 71 to finish five under.
Also read: Reed wins Hero Dubai Desert Classic; Scheffler tops at La Quinta
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