Antoine Rozner saved his best for last to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Sunday.
On a relatively calmer day, the Frenchman produced a stunning 60-foot putt on the final hole to win his second European Tour title at the Education City Golf Club (ECGC).
Rozner was tied for the lead with Italian Guido Migliozzi, who had closed with a 65, when his approach in the 18th left him a long way from the pin. His best hope appeared to be two putts for par and a playoff. Instead, he made the double-breaking putt for a 67 and finished at eight-under.
“Amazing feeling,” Rozner said of this victory.
“Winning a golf tournament is the best feeling in the world. So getting it done this way, with such a big putt on the last, I don’t know what to say but in my biggest dreams I wouldn’t have thought of anything like this. Crazy run today,” said the Frenchman.
Gaganjeet Bhullar of India and Darren Fichardt of South Africa also made birdies on the 18th that allowed them to join Migliozzi in a tie for second. Fichardt, the 54-hole leader, closed with a par 71 while Bhullar fired a 69, adding three birdies and two bogeys.
On a relatively calmer day, the Frenchman produced a stunning 60-foot putt on the final hole to win his second European Tour title at the Education City Golf Club (ECGC).
Rozner was tied for the lead with Italian Guido Migliozzi, who had closed with a 65, when his approach in the 18th left him a long way from the pin. His best hope appeared to be two putts for par and a playoff. Instead, he made the double-breaking putt for a 67 and finished at eight-under.
Antoine Rozner poses with the Mother of Pearl trophy after winning the 2021 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
“Amazing feeling,” Rozner said of this victory.
“Winning a golf tournament is the best feeling in the world. So getting it done this way, with such a big putt on the last, I don’t know what to say but in my biggest dreams I wouldn’t have thought of anything like this. Crazy run today,” said the Frenchman.
Gaganjeet Bhullar of India and Darren Fichardt of South Africa also made birdies on the 18th that allowed them to join Migliozzi in a tie for second. Fichardt, the 54-hole leader, closed with a par 71 while Bhullar fired a 69, adding three birdies and two bogeys.
This combination photo shows France’s Antoine Rozner celebrate after winning the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Education City Golf Club Sunday.
Richard McEvoy carded a 68 and Jamie Donaldson registered a 70 to sit a shot ahead of England’s Chris Paisley and South African Brandon Stone, who both carded 70s of their own. Belgian Thomas Detry, Dane Joachim B. Hansen, American Kurt Kitayama and Swede Niklas Lemke finished five shots off the lead.
Rozner had carded a stunning 68 in high winds on day three and entered the final 18 holes three shots off the lead. He fired 17 birdies and an eagle to come home eight under for scores of 69, 72, 68 and 67 across the four days.
Rozner’s victory is his second in his last six events and comes just three months after his maiden win at the Golf in Dubai Championship.
With two wins in 29 events, Rozner is the fastest French player ever to two victories, with just four missed cuts in an incredible start to his European Tour career since graduating from the Challenge Tour in 2019.
“Winning a golf tournament is so rare – to win twice in just a few months is unreal. I’m just very happy with the way I got it done today in such a dramatic fashion, it’s amazing. I’m very happy,” the 28 year-old Frenchman said.
Rozner, who will now move into the top 70 in the Official World Golf Ranking and has moved him high enough to qualify for the World Golf Championship in Texas in two weeks, was pleased with his incredible putt.
“I was just trying to hit a good putt. I knew two putts would be very important, I tried to get a good speed first. I thought I had a good read on it, then 15 feet short I was like ‘oh, this is going to have a chance’. I kept looking at it went straight in the hole - the best putt of my career,” he said.
Bhullar’s performance was a best-ever Indian show at the Qatar Masters and he was pleased with his outing in the tough conditions.
“It was a nerve wrecking round, especially the final few rounds. The conditions were tough and I am glad that I played really very well,” Bhullar said.
Leading scores after Round 4
276: A Rozner (FRA) 69 72 68 67,
277: G Migliozzi (ITA) 71 67 74 65, G Bhullar (IND) 67 73 68 69, D Fichardt (RSA) 68 68 70 71
279: R Mcevoy (ENG) 65 73 73 68, J Donaldson (WAL) 68 68 73 70
280: B Stone (RSA) 69 68 73 70, C Paisley (ENG) 67 70 73 70,
281: N Lemke (SWE) 70 72 72 67, K Kitayama (USA) 67 69 75 70, T Detry (BEL) 66 72 72 71, J Hansen (DEN) 66 71 72 72
282: T Pieters (BEL) 68 69 76 69
Rozner had carded a stunning 68 in high winds on day three and entered the final 18 holes three shots off the lead. He fired 17 birdies and an eagle to come home eight under for scores of 69, 72, 68 and 67 across the four days.
Rozner’s victory is his second in his last six events and comes just three months after his maiden win at the Golf in Dubai Championship.
With two wins in 29 events, Rozner is the fastest French player ever to two victories, with just four missed cuts in an incredible start to his European Tour career since graduating from the Challenge Tour in 2019.
“Winning a golf tournament is so rare – to win twice in just a few months is unreal. I’m just very happy with the way I got it done today in such a dramatic fashion, it’s amazing. I’m very happy,” the 28 year-old Frenchman said.
Rozner, who will now move into the top 70 in the Official World Golf Ranking and has moved him high enough to qualify for the World Golf Championship in Texas in two weeks, was pleased with his incredible putt.
“I was just trying to hit a good putt. I knew two putts would be very important, I tried to get a good speed first. I thought I had a good read on it, then 15 feet short I was like ‘oh, this is going to have a chance’. I kept looking at it went straight in the hole - the best putt of my career,” he said.
Bhullar’s performance was a best-ever Indian show at the Qatar Masters and he was pleased with his outing in the tough conditions.
“It was a nerve wrecking round, especially the final few rounds. The conditions were tough and I am glad that I played really very well,” Bhullar said.
Leading scores after Round 4
276: A Rozner (FRA) 69 72 68 67,
277: G Migliozzi (ITA) 71 67 74 65, G Bhullar (IND) 67 73 68 69, D Fichardt (RSA) 68 68 70 71
279: R Mcevoy (ENG) 65 73 73 68, J Donaldson (WAL) 68 68 73 70
280: B Stone (RSA) 69 68 73 70, C Paisley (ENG) 67 70 73 70,
281: N Lemke (SWE) 70 72 72 67, K Kitayama (USA) 67 69 75 70, T Detry (BEL) 66 72 72 71, J Hansen (DEN) 66 71 72 72
282: T Pieters (BEL) 68 69 76 69