Swedish standout Henrik Stenson went wire-to-wire to win the Commercialbank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club, closing with a 4-under-par 68 in blustery conditions yesterday for a 15-under-par 273 total, three shots clear of his closest challenger.
Stenson wielded a Big Bertha(R) Fusion(R) FT-3(TM) Driver from Callaway Golf (NYSE:ELY) to help him subdue the winds and beat back an assault led by an assortment of similarly-armed Callaway Golf Staff Pros, including Nick Dougherty, Niclas Fasth and Ricardo Gonzalez, all of whom tied for fourth, and Thomas Bjorn, who tied for ninth. All four chose the revolutionary distance with accuracy of the FT-3 Driver, as did the third-place finisher, to give the FT-3 Driver five of the top seven positions and six of the top dozen.
In addition to the Fusion FT-3 Driver, Stenson’s bag was loaded with Callaway Golf equipment, including a Big Bertha Fairway Wood, Callaway Golf(R) X-18(R) Pro Series Irons, and an Odyssey(R) White Hot(R) #5 Putter.
It was the third PGA European Tour win for Stenson — who was the runner up at last week’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship — and it moves him into second place on the European Tour Order of Merit, all but guaranteeing him his first-ever spot on the European Ryder Cup team.
Stenson controlled his golf ball splendidly throughout the final round. Starting the day with a one-stroke lead, he turned in 34 and erased his lone bogey at No. 14 with birdies on three of the final four holes.
"It’s a good mix between happy and relief after four days, especially the last two rounds in the strong winds and tough conditions," Stenson said. "I was able to drive the ball really solid with the FT-3, and my iron shots also held their line very well in the gusty winds. I’m really happy to have won this after finishing second last year. It feels great."
Stenson’s superb golf began last season with nine top-ten finishes, three as runner up and four third-place showings, including the WGC American Express. From 176th on the Order of Merit as recently as 2002, Stenson has vaulted up the list, finishing 68th in 2003, 32nd in ’04, and eighth last season.
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