Tomorrow's Close of the Dubai Desert Classic Should Be Excellent
by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 6, 2010 2:15 PM EST
in Pro Golf
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PrintThree rounds are in the books at the 2010 Dubai Desert Classic - the gem of the Euro Tour's Desert Swing and arguably its second best non-major. There are four tied atop the leaderboard, including '09 Race to Dubai winner Lee Westwood, Spaniards Miguel Angel Jimenez and bomber Alvaro Quiros, and Thongchai Jaidee. They all sit on -11 with defending champion Rory McIlroy just two back.
Rory McIlroy teeing off on 17 [Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images]
The highest ranked American in the field is 60 year old Tom Watson, who finished 54 holes at -2. Unfortunately, had he only played fifty-three, he would be at -4. Watson made double bogey seven at the last.
Erik Compton, the other American to make the cut, sits in last place.
The big fall of the day, though, belonged to Charl Schwartzel. The two-time winner on Tour already this season fired 76 and dropped twenty-four places.
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Close leaderboards don't
always make for exciting sunday finishes. example- the 1980 U.S. Open. Nicklaus entered the final round tied at -6 with Isao Aoki and had Tom Watson, Mark Hayes, Keith Fergus, and Lon Hinkle within two shots.
Hinkle and Watson never got better than -5 and finished at 276.
Hayes Faded with a 74 or 75
Fergus if I recall got it to -6 but JN was -7 or -8 and KF finished -4 276 when the day was over.
Aoki fell out of the lead early when he teed off 17 stood +2 for the day. He finished birdie birdie but so did JN. Nicklaus got his 4th US open and first win in nearly two years. That was a great result but the sunday finish was hardly dramatic.
The Quiros collapse was unfortunate. I'd like to see
him come to the States more often.
Schwartzel was my pick for hottest tour player right now...
until this week. His two wins, followed by that T14 (I think) last week was better than just about anybody else lately. (Mickelson was 19 last week, and that field wasn’t as strong.) Guess a good finish by Phil will make him my new choice…
Although Westwood seems to be gaining steam since he got his equipment issues ironed out. It’ll be nice to see all the big players against each other soon.
Mike Southern
www.ruthlessgolf.com
I was watching
the 3rd round last night, and really enjoying some excellent golf….Than, I noticed something else…the condition of the course….It was absolutely pristine, and this out in the middle of the desert….Knowing what the upkeep in this country is, I guess that’s why you need 2-3 oil wells to afford them….It would make interesting reading on the building, maintaining etc of those courses….STUB
No, he was 11 under before the playoff, Wendy, so you're
off by 10, but it’s always nice hearing from ya. Say hi to Easing.
Hi to Easing
’Cos TXQ asked me to. I have no idea why.
Wotcha doing over here over here in Dubai , TXQ – nothing going on in Manhatten?
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