Bhullar comes tantalisingly close to win in Qatar, finishes 2nd; Rozner holes monster putt for title

Winner Antoine Rozner and Gaganjeet Bhullar, who was joint second in Qatar Masters. Pic: Getty Images

Doha, Qatar, March 14: Gaganjeet Bhullar holed a superb 20-footer for a birdie on the last hole but was still left stranded in Tied-second place at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. Minutes before. Bhullar got his final birdies, Frenchman Antoine Rozner holed the biggest putt of his life from 60 feet to push the target further at 8-under and Bhullar was left at 7-under.

Bhullar shot 2-under 69 and finished at 7-under 277 in Tied-second alongside South African Darren Fichardt (71), who the same event in 2003, and Italian Guido Migliozzi, who blazed the Education City Golf Club in 6-under 65.

Rozner (67) finished at 8-under with three players left at 7-under.

Bhullar, who had birdied 16th to get 6-under also  needed to birdie 17th and 18th to get into a play-off. Bhullar’s birdie putt on 17th grazed past the hole and he parred. However, he holed a 20-footer on 18th but still fell one short.

Earlier Bhullar birdied fifth, but gave it back on 10th and again birdied 13th only to give it back on the next hole. Then he birdied 16 from the fringe but missed birdie on 17 and got another on 18. “I gave it my best and I will take positives from this week and I have lot of events coming up,” said Bhullar.

It was his second runner-up finish in an European Tour event as he was second in Avantha Masters in India in 2013. In between in 2018 he won the Fiji International sanctioned by Asia, Europe and Australasia.

Migliozzi shot 66 to set the clubhouse target at 7-under, which was overhauled by Rozner, who started at T-4 but had three birdies and a bogey on front nine to get into contention. On the back nine his sole birdie was on 18th and it was a dream putt.

“It’s unreal,” he said. “In my biggest dreams I couldn’t imagine anything like this happening.  It’s probably the biggest putt of my career – amazing. It’s so early in my career, only my second year on tour. I’m playing great so I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing, playing the way I’ve been playing the last two years and I’m excited to see what the future holds for me. It’s very promising,” said Rozner.

Overnight leader, Fichardt two ahead of Bhullar ended with 71, including a birdie on 18th and it was a three-way tie for second place.

On the 18th, Rozner left himself a long way from the pin and it looked like a two putt par and was getting ready for a play-off but he drained an incredible double breaker over the ridge for birdie.

The birdie gave Rozner a card of 67 it won him his second European Tour title in 29 starts. Rozner’s maiden victory came three months ago in the Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World and this was his second win in last six starts. He will now move into the top 70 in the Official World Golf Ranking – a career high.

McEvoy carded a 68 and 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.

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