Published July 17, 2008 on February 26, 2018

Pepperell Seals Qatar Masters Title

---

Eddie Pepperell survived a late scare from his friend Oliver Fisher as the Englishman produced a final round performance of confidence and poise to claim his maiden European Tour victory at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

It all came down to the final hole between the two compatriots and playing partners, as Fisher had a birdie opportunity to force a play-off, but for the most part, Pepperell had appeared to be cruising to a victory in the manner of an experienced champion.

While the challengers to the throne were toing and froing in front of him on the course – multiple tour winners Grégory Havret, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and Pablo Larrázabal among those ratcheting up the pressure – the 27-year-old appeared focussed, serene and in control.

He opened with eight successive pars before back-to-back birdies at the ninth and tenth edged him three clear but Fisher, who had suffered a three over front nine and seemed out of the contest, made an almighty comeback.

When he birdied the 16^th and 17^th, it was a one-shot game and Fisher had a ten-footer for a birdie and extra holes at worst. It slipped by, however, and the 29-year-old had to sign for a one under 71, while Pepperell knocked in a two-foot par putt for a two under 70, an 18 under total and a one-stroke triumph.

“It was a long day and a long week I guess – to be up there all week can be mentally pretty tiring but I felt like I dealt with it well this week. Even at the end of Thursday I had a feeling and I was already expecting to lead every day,” said Pepperell.

He added, “I knew I was playing well, especially tee to green, so I expected a lot of myself this week and I guess to pull it off is amazing. Oli made a great run at the end and certainly put me under a lot of pressure but I put myself under a little bit myself too so I’m just happy and relieved.”

Total Scores:

270 E Pepperell (Eng) 65 69 66 70,
271 O Fisher (Eng) 66 69 65 71,
272 M Kinhult (Swe) 68 69 67 68,
273 G Havret (Fra) 65 69 70 69, G Fernandez – Castaño (Esp) 68 68 69 68, R Paratore (Ita) 71 66 70 66, P Larrazábal (Esp) 68 67 70 68,
274 G Coetzee (RSA) 69 66 71 68, S Heisele (Ger) 67 68 71 68,
275 M Baldwin (Eng) 68 70 68 69, M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68 68 69 70, A Otaegui (Esp) 67 66 73 69,
276 M Foster (Eng) 71 68 68 69, C Wood (Eng) 68 69 68 71, S Han (USA) 69 71 69 67, D Horsey (Eng) 71 68 65 72, M Nixon (Eng) 69 68 69 70, A Pavan (Ita) 68 69 67 72,
277 A Björk (Swe) 70 69 69 69, J Scrivener (Aus) 70 70 67 70, A Quiros (Esp) 66 70 70 71, R Wattel (Fra) 71 69 71 66, C Shinkwin (Eng) 68 69 70 70, A Rai (Eng) 65 73 69 70, P Waring (Eng) 68 70 70 69, M Wallace (Eng) 69 71 67 70, S Fernandez (Esp) 69 70 71 67,
278 W Ashun (Chn) 69 70 70 69, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 68 72 71 67, M Siem (Ger) 73 66 68 71, S Crocker (USA) 67 68 67 76, H Tanihara (Jpn) 70 69 66 73, M Pavon (Fra) 68 69 71 70,
279 R Cho (Kor) 69 70 67 73, N Geyger (Chi) 71 69 69 70, L Gagli (Ita) 67 70 67 75, N Colsaerts (Bel) 71 69 69 70, A Sullivan (Eng) 69 70 73 67,
280 O Farr (Wal) 70 70 69 71, N Elvira (Esp) 71 69 71 69, S Gallacher (Sco) 68 66 74 72, S Brown (Eng) 69 69 70 72, J Kruyswijk (RSA) 70 68 70 72, T Detry (Bel) 67 70 70 73,
281 R Sterne (RSA) 72 68 70 71, J Lagergren (Swe) 68 71 66 76, F Zanotti (Par) 70 69 69 73, J Morrison (Eng) 72 66 67 76, B Dredge (Wal) 70 68 74 69, S Gros (Fra) 69 70 69 73, J Walters (RSA) 68 71 72 70, A Chesters (Eng) 72 68 71 70,
282 G Forrest (Sco) 70 70 74 68, M Warren (Sco) 68 70 70 74, C Koepka (USA) 71 68 74 69, C Hanson (Eng) 73 67 71 71, R Jacquelin (Fra) 70 66 72 74, T Jaidee (Tha) 70 70 69 73,
283 E Van Rooyen (RSA) 68 66 76 73, J Donaldson (Wal) 72 65 70 76,
284 P Lawrie (Sco) 68 72 71 73, D Howell (Eng) 69 70 74 71, B Hebert (Fra) 70 70 70 74, R Evans (Eng) 69 67 71 77, S Jamieson (Sco) 69 71 75 69, J White (Eng) 67 73 69 75, M Ilonen (Fin) 67 72 73 72, M Schwab (Aut) 70 70 74 70, R Gouveia (Por) 71 68 72 73,
285 M Schneider (Ger) 66 74 69 76, S Hend (Aus) 73 67 75 70,
286 E Molinari (Ita) 66 74 70 76, J Choi (Kor) 68 72 75 71,
287 R Bland (Eng) 69 69 71 78, S Lee (Kor) 72 68 73 74,
288 R Karlsson (Swe) 68 71 71 78,
289 D Im (USA) 73 67 74 75,
292 P Widegren (Swe) 73 67 80 72,

Photo credit: Getty Images