O'Meara celebrates victory (Getty Images).
By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent, Dubai
Click here for all the latest golf scores
Click here for more golf news
Six years on from his last big win, 47-year-old American Mark O'Meara came,
saw and conquered in Dubai.
Using a weird-looking putting grip he calls 'The Saw', O'Meara took the Desert
Classic by one from Paul McGinley to end a slump which had seen him fall from
fourth in the world to 201st.
The former Masters and Open champion was handed the £179,450 first prize after
a closing 69 gave him a 17-under-par total of 271.
He then celebrated his return to form in the company of close friend Tiger
Woods, who had offered him a lift back to the United States on his private jet
and with whom he had visited American troops on the aircraft carrier George
Washington on Wednesday.
Woods threatened to force his way in the hunt when he turned in 32 and then
eagled the long 10th, but bogeys at the 14th and 17th killed off his challenge
and he had to settle for joint fifth.
Irish Ryder Cup hero McGinley was seeking his first win since he holed the
putt that sank the United States at The Belfry two years ago. The shot that cost
him his chance came on the 425-yard 16th.
His drive finished behind a tree and the resulting bogey put him two behind.
He did have an eagle putt on the par-five last, but it was from over 60 feet and
although the pace was good the line was slightly off and he had to be content
with a birdie.
O'Meara had laid up short of the water, played an excellent pitch and
two-putted for the title.
After ending last season a worst-ever
143rd on the American tour it was easy to understand his delight.
"This is a big day for me," he said. "It's been a long time and it gives me
a huge boost in confidence.
"At 47 maybe it tells me I can still do it. Chalk one up for the old boys."
McGinley had himself dropped from fourth in the world to 159th, but now he
will be looking to build on this and keep his Ryder Cup spot this September.
Swindon's David Howell, looking for a cup debut, shared third place with world
number three Ernie Els, who like Woods closed to three behind, but ran out of
holes.
O'Meara, given a bear-hug by Woods coming off the final green, said of his
putting stroke: "Trust me, it works. You might want to try it.
"Tiger has been pushing me and telling me I can do it. He genuinely cares and
that meant a lot that he was there for me.
"There's always a little bit of doubt in your mind. When you've not been in
contention for a while the nerves are there."
McGinley, who O'Meara thinks could have a big year, commented: "It was a
really good week, but I'm disappointed not to have won. We're in a competitive
business and the difference between first and second is huge.
"I feel like I've been in a boxing match. It was mentally tough and to be as
tough as Mark was - you have to hand it to him.
"I don't feel I lost it. Considering he had not won since 1998 he played
awesome - he never seemed to give me an inch.
"He played like a guy who had been winning tournaments every day of his life
and I can see why he has been so successful."
Woods made no secret of the fact he was rooting for his buddy.
"We all want to see him do it," he said. "He's 47 and Paul has many more
years.
"It's all been about his putting. He's been playing decent, but not making
anything. He tried 'the claw' (another unusual grip) and a belly putter, but he
just needed to feel that he could release the blade consistently."
Woods has no intention of adopting the same method, though. "I've tried lots
of different ways for fun, but my stroke gets worse. I'm doing all right the way
I do it.
"There were only five holes this week where I dropped shots and that's not
bad, but I just didn't make enough birdies. But I've been top 10 every week so
far this year and I hope that continues."
Els admitted he was frustrated not only by some putting lapses, but also some
"silly mistakes."
He had seven birdies in his first 14 holes, but needed a repeat of his
course-record 62 to put the heat on and parred in for a 65. It was still the
best round of the day.
Colin Montgomerie, having partnered Woods in the third round, shared the final
day with Els and after an incredible 125-foot birdie putt on the 16th had a
chance to finish third as well. But he finished with a bogey six and dropped to
12th.
Collated final round scores and totals in the Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates GC, United Arab Emirates (Eng unless stated, par 72):
271 Mark O'Meara (USA) 70 64 68 69
272 Paul McGinley (Irl) 68 65 69 70
275 David Howell 67 71 70 67, Ernie Els (Rsa) 70 68 72 65
276 Marcel Siem (Den) 70 70 70 66, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 69 67 73 67, Brian
Davis 70 66 69 71, Tiger Woods (USA) 70 69 69 68
277 Peter Lawrie (Irl) 69 69 71 68, Greg Owen 71 65 72 69, Joakim Haeggman
(Swe) 70 70 68 69
278 Paul Casey 69 68 70 71, Bradley Dredge (Wal) 64 71 72 71, Colin
Montgomerie (Sco) 70 69 71 68, Lee Westwood 70 71 68 69, Andrew Marshall 72 71
67 68
279 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 74 69 70 66, Gary Orr (Sco) 69 75 68 67, Damien
McGrane (Irl) 72 70 68 69, 280 Simon Dyson 68 69 70 73, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 70 73
70 67, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 68 72 73 67, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 73 68 68 71,
281 Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69 70 71 71, Steve Webster 70 73 68 70, Padraig
Harrington (Irl) 69 72 70 70
282 Richard Green (Aus) 68 71 72 71, Brett Rumford (Aus) 74 69 70 69, Louis
Oosthuizen (Rsa) 74 69 72 67
283 Nick Faldo 73 69 73 68, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 69 71 70 73, Phillip Price
(Wal) 71 72 71 69, Paul Broadhurst 70 74 73 66
284 Ian Poulter 73 70 70 71, Stephen Gallacher (Sco) 72 71 73 68, Jarmo
Sandelin (Swe) 70 74 70 70, Lian-Wei Zhang (Chn) 71 70 72 71, Maarten Lafeber
(NIrl) 72 72 71 69, Martin Maritz (Rsa) 70 72 71 71, Simon Khan 69 71 74 70
285 Michael Jonzon (Swe) 74 70 73 68, Anders Hansen (Den) 72 70 70 73, Raymond
Russell (Sco) 70 73 71 71, Mark Foster 74 70 70 71
286 Kenneth Ferrie 70 70 74 72, James Kingston (Rsa) 73 70 72 71, Gary Murphy
(Irl) 71 67 76 72, Martin Lemesurier 70 73 70 73, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 70 71 73
72, Gregory Havret (Fra) 70 71 70 75, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 72 71 71 72
287 Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 72 70 74 71, John Bickerton 71 71 71 74, Peter
Hanson (Swe) 71 73 72 71, Stephen Scahill (Nzl) 69 73 74 71
288 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 70 73 72 73, Soren Hansen (Den) 69 75 70 74, Stuart
Little 74 69 72 73, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 71 70 75 72
289 Mark Roe 71 72 75 71, Peter Baker 69 73 76 71, Gary Evans 71 73 73 72,
Miles Tunnicliff 71 73 76 69
290 Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 72 71 70 77, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 73 70 73 74,
Thavorn Wiratchant (Tha) 74 70 74 72
291 Alastair Forsyth (Sco) 70 73 76 72
292 Andrew Coltart (Sco) 72 72 73 75, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 71 72 72 77
295 Ben Banks 73 70 79 73
ret Carlos Rodiles (Spa)
 E-mail Article  Print-Friendly
 Subscribe to RSS Feed
 Post to del.icio.us
 Facebook
Click here to send us your sporting feedback
|
