Tag: Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Paul Casey wins 15th European Tour title at Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Paul Casey reached a European Tour milestone on Sunday, winning for the 15th time on that circuit at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Paul Casey reached a European Tour milestone on Sunday, winning for the 15th time on that circuit at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Casey, who won his first Euro Tour title 20 years at the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship, is the 18th golfer to reach win No. 15.

“Fifteen wins is pretty cool,” said Casey after his round. “I’m all emotional with wins, but with this one. … this one is such a prestigious event, the history which is behind you, and I can see it from here with amazing winners, is basically a Who’s Who in world golf. Dubai have given so much to golf.”

It was his first time playing the Dubai Desert Classic in seven years. The victory should vault him back into the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Omega Dubai Desert Classic: Leaderboard

Casey shot a third-round 64 to vault up the leaderboard and take a one-shot lead into the final round. He shot a final-round 70 to get to 17 under and won the event by four shots. Brandon Stone finished in second at 13 under. Robert Macintyre shot a 74 and finished third at 12 under. Laurie Cantor and Kalle Samooja finished tied for fifth at 10 under.

Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia and Bernd Wiesberger finished T-6 at 9 under. Tyrrell Hatton, who won the Euro Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship a week ago, finished T-22 at 5 under.

Next week is the third straight event in the Middle East for the Euro Tour at the Saudi International at Royal Greens G&CC in Saudi Arabia.

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Paul Casey storms atop the leaderboard at Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Paul Casey used an eagle on No. 18 to vault into the lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates.

Paul Casey used an eagle on the final hole of the day to move to 15 under and vault into the lead after the third round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates.

Casey didn’t drop a shot on Saturday while posting six birdies along with the eagle. His 64 tied the lowest round of the tournament and pushed him a shot ahead of Robert MacIntyre and two ahead of Brandon Stone.

To his credit, Casey used a booming driver to find advantageous positions throughout the day in gaining the lead.

Omega Dubai Desert Classic: Leaderboard

“To finish off with an eagle was pretty cool. You can never say flawless … it was very controlled, challenging at the same time with a little bit of wind here and there,” said Casey, an Arizona State product. “The strong asset I have in this game is the way I drive it, the length. The game has gone more and more towards length and I’m fortunate that I’m still able to lean on that strength and compete out here.”

Sergio Garcia, who bolted out on Thursday with a 66 but followed with a pedestrian 73 on Friday, jumped back within range of the leaders with a third-round 67, which puts him five strokes behind Casey heading into the final round.

Other notables near the top are Justin Rose (-8), and a strong group at 7 under that includes Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry.

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Tommy Fleetwood shining in Dubai; Tyrrell Hatton is circling again

Tommy Fleetwood had two bogeys on the day, including one on the opening hole, but rallied with a smooth putt on No. 18 to get in the hunt.

Belgian Thomas Detry shot a second straight 67 to take the lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates, but some familiar names are staying close to the top of the board as the weekend approaches.

Tommy Fleetwood eagled the final hole of the second round and stands just two shots behind Detry. Fleetwood posted two bogeys on the day, including one on the opening hole, but rallied with a smooth putt on No. 18 to get deep in the hunt.

Robert MacIntyre is one shot off the lead while two others are tied with Fleetwood in third.

“I’m really happy. It’s pretty tough out there in the afternoon, of course, it firms out and the rough around the greens put together with firm greens — and they’re pretty quick — it makes it pretty hard,” Fleetwood said. “I played really well. My irons were good again. So, it felt like I was in control for a lot of the day.”

Omega Dubai Desert Classic: Leaderboard

After a rough opening round, Tyrrell Hatton got his groove back on Friday, posting a wild 64 that included an eagle, eight birdies and a pair of bogeys. Hatton is currently No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking and No. 15 in the Golfweek/Sagarin ranking.

“I’m pretty happy with that round of golf, to be honest. I think going out there today the goal was the make the cut after yesterday’s disappointing start, so I’m really happy that I’m going to be here for the weekend,” Hatton told Sky Sports.

Hatton is coming off a four-stroke victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, claiming a $1.335 million prize and his sixth European Tour title — including four in the lucrative Rolex Series.

He was also part of one of January’s best moments, a short video released by the European Tour called “Angry Golfers.”

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Sergio Garcia off to ‘comfortable’ start with a 66 in Dubai; Richard Sterne leads

Garcia had a smooth round with three birdies on each side and no bogeys. 

South African Richard Sterne holds a slim lead after the opening day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates, but a number of bigger names are also near the top of the leaderboard.

Sergio Garcia shot an opening-round 66 and is just two shots behind Sterne, while Paul Casey (-5), Martin Kaymer (-4) and Tommy Fleetwood (-4) are all within striking range after the first day.

Sterne, who has six wins on the European Tour, but none since the Joburg Open in 2013, had just one bogey to go with nine birdies to finish the day at 8 under. The 39-year-old holds a one-shot edge over American Kurt Kitayama, who shot a 65 thanks to an eagle on the 17th hole.

Garcia had a smooth round with three birdies on each side and no bogeys.

“I felt comfortable out there for sure. I felt like I hit a lot of good shots. Conditions obviously were good, but they were tricky,” Garcia said. “The greens are a little patchy when it comes down to firmness. Some spots are really firm and some spots you can definitely spin it. But other than that, I felt like it was a good, solid day, and very happy with the way it went.”

Other notables included Lee Westwood and Shane Lowry at 2 under and Collin Morikawa, who shot a one-under 71.

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Lucas Herbert earns first Euro Tour win at Dubai Desert Classic

Lucas Herbert defeated Christiaan Bezuidenhout in a two-hole playoff to win his first European Tour event at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Lucas Herbert survived two playoff holes against Christiaan Bezuidenhout Sunday at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic to earn his first European Tour win.

Herbert, along with Bezuidenhout, entered the final round six shots back of  leader Ashun Wu at Emirates Golf Club. Wu finished Sunday with a 5-over 77 after he was 5 over on the back nine. He finished T-6 at 6 under.

On the 18th hole before the playoff, Bezuidenhout found water, but saved his chances at victory by making a putt for bogey to match Herbert’s final-round 68 and sit at 9-under 279 to force the playoff.

Herbert, who birded 18 the first time he played it Sunday, birdied the second playoff hole on No. 18 to seal the win.

Adri Arnaus, Dean Burmester and Tom Lewis finished T-3 at 7 under, while American Kurt Kitayama and Wu finished T-6 at 6 under.

Lucas Herbert celebrates after the second play-off hole of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, who was given a slow-play warning on the 10th hole, finished T-8 at 5 under after a 76. DeChambeau finished the round with three birdies and seven bogeys, four of which occurred on his final four holes. The 26-year-old was 3 over on the back nine.

The 2020 European Tour schedule continues Thursday at the Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.

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Ashun Wu sets Dubai Desert Classic pace, Bryson DeChambeau only two back

Ashun Wu opened his Saturday with an eagle on the par-4 starting hole at Emirates Golf Club and now leads the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Ashun Wu opened his Saturday with an eagle on the par-4 starting hole at Emirates Golf Club, and he ended it with the third-round lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. It was a strong performance for Wu, the 34-year-old from China who is chasing a fourth career European Tour title this week in Dubai.

He should remain keenly aware of the man chasing him, though. Bryson DeChambeau birdied two of his final three holes on Saturday and is only two shots back.

LEADERBOARD: Dubai Desert Classic scores

Wu’s third-round 67 is his best so far this week. He was 3 under through three, had three consecutive birdies from Nos. 10-12 but gave one back with his sole bogey of the day at No. 16. Wu is 11 under.

It’s easy to see how that momentum blossomed from this opening shot, which produced that starting eagle. Saturday is, in fact, the Chinese New Year.

Frenchman Victor Perez is right in the middle of Wu and DeChambeau. He has fought back from an opening 73 with subsequent rounds of 66-67. Perez, whose only European Tour victory came at the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, is a top-50 player in the world and played like it on Saturday. He strung together four birdies from Nos. 10-13 then added two more at Nos. 17 and 18 for a back-nine 31 to reach 10 under.

As for DeChambeau, he also birdied the 17th in Friday’s second round. For some glimpse into how he approached the 359-yard par 4, there’s this video from Round 2.

DeChambeau, at 9 under total after rounds of 70-67-70, is tied for third with fellow American Kurt Kitayama and Englishman Tom Lewis.

Eddie Pepperrell, who led after Round 2, dropped to sixth with a third-round 72.

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Eddie Pepperell takes lead at Dubai Desert Classic

After a second-round 67, Eddie Pepperell took the lead at Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

After shooting a second-round 67, Eddie Pepperell has taken the lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Pepperell, who leads at 8 under through 36 holes at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, sits one-shot ahead of Dean Burmester, Robert Karlsson and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau.

Ashun Wu and Romain Langasque sit T-5 at 6 under while four other golfers including Kurt Kitayama of the United States are T-7 at 5 under.

LEADERBOARD: Dubai Desert Classic scores

Pepperell, who carded six birdies Friday, missed the cut in his last two events, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the South African Open. He opened the European Tour’s 2020 season T-19 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in November.

The 29-year-old Englishman finished the first round with a 69 and sat in a tie for third with 11 other golfers.

Pepperell tees off his third round alongside Karlsson Saturday afternoon.

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Thomas Pieters leads Dubai Desert Classic after first round

It was a windy day at the Emirates Golf Club and only 29 golfers were able to break par in the first round.

Thomas Pieters shot a first-round 67 and leads the Omega Desert Dubai Classic on the European Tour.

David Lipsky shot a 68 and sits alone in second.

There are 12 players tied at 3 under, two shots off the lead.

Defending champ Bryson DeChambeau is among four golfers who shot a 2-under 70.

The skies were hazy for part the day around Emirates Golf Club because of a steady wind, which made conditions difficult. Just 29 golfers broke par in the first round, including Sergio Garcia and Louis Oosthuizen.

Omega Dubai Desert Classic: Leaderboard

“I’ve been working on my putting real hard and I just hope to see some progress,” Pieters told europeantour.com. “I saw that today, hopefully we can keep it up. I know I’m hitting the ball quite nice and I’m just looking forward to the next three days.

“It’s always a bit scary starting out, you don’t know what to expect even though you’ve put the work in – that competitive mindset sometimes takes a while to kick in. But I think today was one of my better rounds of the year.”

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