Justin Harding was the best of the South African finishers on Sunday in the DP World Tour’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club in Doha as he closed with a two-under-par 70 for a share of fifth.
The tournament was won by Scotsman Ewen Ferguson who also closed with a 70 on a day that didn’t deliver any really low scores. Ferguson won by one stroke from Chase Hanna of the United States after finishing the tournament at seven-under-par.
Harding had things going well for him early in the final round with three birdies in the first six holes, but bogeys on seven and 13 slowed his progress. He was able to pick up another birdie on the 16th and finished the tournament on four-under, just three shots off the lead.
That was one stroke clear of Wilco Nienaber who had a near-disastrous first nine with four bogeys to turn in 40 and slip almost completely out of contention. To his credit, he fought back well with birdies on 10 and 11, but he was unable to make any more gains, and he dropped another shot on the 18th to finish in a share of 12th – just not quite good enough to get into the next DP World Tour event. That means he will be in South Africa next week for the Challenge Tour’s and the Sunshine Tour’s Limpopo Championship.
Also on three-under was Justin Walters. Thriston Lawrence finished in a share of 21st on two-under, while Louis de Jager, Hennie du Plessis and Jacques Kruyswijk were on one-under in a share of 27th. George Coetzee and Zander Lombard shared 35th on level-par, Dean Burmester and Brandon Stone were on one-over, with Darren Fichardt on two-over.
