Branden Grace wins Qatar Masters

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 26 January 2015

Branden Grace of South Africa held off Scotland’s Marc Warren to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by a single shot at Doha Golf Club. It was Grace’s sixth European Tour title.

Branden Grace of South Africa held off Scotland’s Marc Warren to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by a single shot at Doha Golf Club. It was Grace’s sixth European Tour title.

The turning point came at the short par-4 16th where Grace fired a superb drive into within five feet of the cup, setting up an eagle two proved to be decisive.

Grace has already been a champion on the 2015 European Tour – he took the win in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa. He now sits in third place on the Race to Dubai standings.

“It was a great day, a great week,” he said. “The form has been there, I played great and I managed to get in on top.”

Grace began the final round tied for the lead with Warren, Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo. It was the Scot who struck first with two birdies in a row. But he came unstuck with a double bogey at the 8th. Warren recovered well on the back nine to fire a closing 67 and secure solo second place, one clear of Wiesberger in third.

England’s Eddie Pepperell also closed with a 67 to take fourth place on his own.

Gregory Bourdy of France raced to the turn in 30 but his challenge stalled on the back nine and he had to make do with a share of fifth place.

Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Doha GC, Doha, Qatar Jan 21-24, purse €2,225,000, par 72

1 Branden Grace (RSA) 67 68 68 66 269 €353,257 2 Marc Warren (Sco) 71 65 67 67 270 €235,502 3 Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 69 66 68 68 271 €132,685 4 Eddie Pepperell (Eng) 69 71 65 67 272 €105,978 T5 An Byeong Hun (Kor) 67 69 72 65 273 €75,880 T5 Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 70 68 70 65 273 €75,880 T5 Emilano Grillo (Arg) 67 69 67 70 273 €75,880 8 Alejandro Canizares (Esp) 67 70 68 69 274 €52,989 9 Alex Noren (Swe) 67 71 72 65 275 €47,478 T10 Oliver Fisher (Eng) 65 73 69 69 276 €40,695 T10 Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 72 68 69 67 276 €40,695

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

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Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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