DP World Tour: Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Leaderboard
The 2022 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters returns to Doha Golf Club for the first time since 2019 after a two-year stay at Education City Golf Club as one of two events this week on the DP World Tour.
Despite being a familiar venue on the DP World Tour, Doha Golf Club has a new look, having undergone a number of changes while the past two editions of the tournament were hosted at Education City Golf Club.
All 18 greens on the Championship Course have been completely re-laid , the first time they have undergone major renovation since opening in 1997.
The most striking new feature on the Peter Harradine-designed course – where every edition of the tournament was played from 1998 to 2019 - is the double green on holes 9 and 18, positioned behind an existing lake, to create the potential for drama when the tournament reaches its climax.
While missing the cut last week, Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal who won 3 weeks ago, has opened with a sparkling -8 64 for a 2 shot lead over 4 players at -6 including in form Sharma Shubhankar all at 66.
Defending champion Antoine Rozner is seeking to join a select group of players to have won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters on multiple occasions after landing his second DP World Tour title courtesy of an incredible 60-foot birdie putt on the last at Education City Golf Club.
He has posted a first round -4 68 T8th.
While Branden Grace secured his double in 2015 and 2016 at Doha Golf Club, if he were to win this week, Frenchman Rozner would be unique in going back-to-back around two different venues.
The first Major of the year is just a fortnight away, with this week's event in Doha and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Texas offering the final opportunities to move in to the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and secure a spot in the field at The Masters.
Of those playing in the Arabian Peninsula, Dean Burmester is best placed to grasp the opportunity before next Monday’s deadline, after a runner-up finish behind fellow South African Shaun Norris at the Steyn City Championship last week moved him to a career-high 64th place
He has opened his account earlier today with -2 70 T28th.
Needing to at least match his finish last week to be in with the possibility of a debut appearance at Augusta National, Burmester is in no mood to let the opportunity pass by.
“It’s something that is hard not to think about,” he said.
Temperatures as expected reached the high 30's today, and more of the same is expected on Friday, but conditions are forecasted to change over the weekend.
Winds will begin to become strong on Saturday afternoon with gusts up to 30mph, while Sunday will see the strongest winds of 35mph throughout the day to provide a stern test for those who make the cut.
Canada's Aaron Cockerill is back after a week off, and after opening brightly with 2 birdies in his first 4 holes, a bogey at the 5th saw him out in -1 35 at the turn. He got in trouble with his approach at the 12th resulting in a drop and double bogey 6, followed by a bogey on the par 3 13th from the rough behind the green.
However he bounced back with a birdie at the par 4 14th, and 2 more, at the par 4 16th where he nearly drove the green and the par 3 17th where he is tee shot finished 6' away. A back nine 37, 72 sees him T60.
He is ranked #350 owgr and after his T2 in Kenya, 33rd in the DP World Tour ranking.
Bryan Angus (edit europeantour.com)
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