Luiten beats Wood to win Oman Open as Southgate fades

Joost Luiten wins inaugural Oman Open

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 18 February 2018

Joost Luiten of the Netherlands won the inaugural NBO Oman Open by two shots from England’s Chris Wood. It was Luiten’s sixth European Tour title.

Joost Luiten began the final day of the NBO Oman Open tied for the lead with Julien Guerrier of France and England’s Matthew Southgate. Chris Wood was a shot back.

Chris Wood closed with a 69 to finish alone in second place

Luiten started well on Sunday and found himself three ahead after four holes. But Chris Wood applied some pressure with a birdie on the 6th and, after Luiten suffered consecutive three-putts on the 7th and 8th holes, those two men were tied at the top of the board.

Wood continued to press on in the early part of the back nine. After getting up-and-down from sand on the 12th, the Englishman took the lead.

Luiten struck back though and he moved back in front with a birdie at the 16th. Wood dropped a shot at the 17th and Luiten parred the last two holes, finishing two clear and claiming the victory.

Joost Luiten claimed his sixth European Tour title with victory in Oman

"This is why you play golf, to hold trophies," he said. "It's been a great week. It's always tough to win out here, all these guys are so good and they keep putting pressure on you. Down the stretch I hit some nice shots, I made some nice putts and it was a nice battle with my friend Woody. I need to win another couple to get into the Ryder Cup Team but it's a great start to the year for me."

With the win, Joost Luiten has moved to the top of the Race to Dubai standings and he has earned a start in the WGC-Mexico Championship.

Julien Guerrier of France finished in third place with Jorge Campillo of Spain, Seungsu Han of the USA and Alexander Levy of France tied fourth.

Englishman Robert Rock and Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti were tied for seventh with Scot Stephen Gallacher, Frenchman Benjamin Hebert and England's Matthew Southgate tied ninth.

Southgate started the final round tied for the lead but he fell away with four bogeys in the space of five holes on the front nine. In the end, he carded a 75.

NBO Oman Open Al Mouj Golf, Muscat, Oman Feb 15-18 Purse: €1,410,000 Par: 72

1 Joost Luiten (Ned) 72 66 66 68 272 €233,235 2 Chris Wood (Eng) 70 66 69 69 274 €155,490 3 Julien Guerrier (Fra) 69 69 66 71 275 €87,605 T4 Jorge Campillo (Esp) 73 70 66 68 277 €59,430 T4 Seungsu Han (USA) 70 69 70 68 277 €59,430 T4 Alexander Levy (Fra) 71 69 67 70 277 €59,430 T7 Robert Rock (Eng) 69 71 69 69 278 €38,485 T7 Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 68 71 70 69 278 €38,485 T9 Stephen Gallacher (Sco) 74 67 68 70 279 €28,362 T9 Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 72 70 69 68 279 €28,362 T9 Matthew Southgate (Eng) 65 70 69 75 279 €28,362

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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