Paul Lawrie returns to world top 50 February 6, 2012
Scotland may be better known for its links golf, but Paul Lawrie proved his desert credentials in Qatar, shooting three sub-70 rounds in a weather affected Commercialbank Qatar Masters, to lift the impressive pearl trophy for the second time in his career. The victory comes at the end of a strong run of form that has seen him post top tens in four consecutive events, dating back to last season’s Dubai World Championship presented by DP World, where he pushed eventual champion Alvaro Quiros all the way to the 72nd green. Strong performances in South Africa and last week in Abu Dhabi marked him out as a strong contender for the title, and when he chipped in twice en route to a Sunday 65 he found himself a victor by four strokes from Australian Jason Day and Sweden’s Peter Hanson. The win sees Lawrie jump 31 places to 47th in the World, and back inside the top 50 for the first time since 2003, guaranteeing him a place in both the WGC-Accenture Match Play and Volvo World Match Play Championships, as well as potential berths at both Augusta and as part of the European Ryder Cup Team come September.
Kyle Stanley put the crushing disappointment of seven days prior in San Diego behind him quicker than anyone may have imagined at the Phoenix Waste Management Open, shooting a Sunday 65 to win by one from compatriot Ben Crane in the desert. It was only seven days earlier that the American had been on the losing side of a script all too familiar in a game that is never over until it is over, squandering a seven shot lead early in the final round to lose in a playoff to Brandt Snedeker at Torrey Pines having triple bogeyed the last hole. This week, it was Spencer Levin who was unable to hold on to his lead, having started Sunday with a six stroke advantage. Birdies from Stanley countered bogeys from Levin, and before he could quite believe it, Kyle Stanley had picked up his first PGA Tour win. A truly remarkable story, and to sweeten the deal even more, the 24-year-old American now sits atop the FedEx Cup Ranking and moves up 35 places, and to within touching distance of the World’s top 50, at 52nd place on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Having had to return to the Qualifying School just a few weeks ago to earn full playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2012, Australian Kieran Pratt carried through that momentum to pick up his first win on the circuit with a playoff victory at the Zaykabar Myanmar Open presented by Air Bagan. Having trailed by five heading into Sunday’s final round, Pratt holed from 15 feet on the last for an eagle that would eventually force extra holes with compatriot Adam Blyth and Kiradech Aphibarnrat. The Thai golfer would fall at the first extra hole when he failed to match his playing partners birdies, and Blyth would follow on the second hole after finding water from the tee, leaving Pratt to pick up the biggest win of his career and as a result climb a staggering 237 places up the World Ranking and into 270th place.
