Stunning closing round seals title

South Africa’s Justin Harding produced a superb final round to claim his first European Tour title in the Qatar Masters.

Harding birdied three of the last four holes in a closing 66 to finish 13 under par, two shots ahead of a nine-strong group which included compatriots George Coetzee, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Erik van Rooyen and England’s Oliver Wilson.

Wilson, who began the day with a one-shot lead, carded a closing 71 at Doha Golf Club.

Harding was three shots off the lead at the start of the day and although he birdied three of the first four holes, bogeys at the sixth and seventh looked to have derailed his title challenge.

However, the 33-yearold birdied the 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th and 18th in a back nine of 31 to post a clubhouse target that no-one was able to match.

“I think my biggest deficit coming from behind was one so to have to sit and wait around I didn’t enjoy it, but I’m glad it happened,” Harding told Sky Sports.

“It means I get into the events I’d like to be into again. I’m looking forward to playing in some bigger events and keeping the form going.

“I’ll be honest, the bogey I made on 13 was key to me turning it around. I hit a terrible seven iron into the water there but to get it up and down still kept me in the game.

“I turned what was a bit of a struggle into a one over par (round) and was only three shots back.”

Justin Harding won the Qatar Masters.