Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Preview

Commercial Bank Qatar Masters preview from guest writer Rory Byrne follow Rory online via Twitter @playagainstpar

Qatar. Famous for a few things:

A GDP of almost $1billion per man woman and child. Minted!

The richest country in the Muslim world. Minted!

Population below the poverty line: 0%. Minted!

Banking sector largely unscathed by global financial fallout. Minted!

You’d think they’d know that ‘u’ always follows ‘q’!

Commercial Bank Qatar Masters

Date: 23^rd – 26^th January

Venue: Doha GC, West Bay, Qatar

In recent years the Qatari people have recognised, and indeed, embraced the western devotion to golf and in doing so out to attract some of the world’s biggest names to compete in its flagship golfing event, The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club.

This Wednesday (early start due to the Muslim weekend starting on a Friday apparently) the European Tour takes its players to the West Bay for the second leg of the desert swing and a crack at the $2.5million prize fund. For many of the players who took part in last week’s event in Abu Dhabi, the ring-rustiness should be well and truly treated and we should really begin to see the shape and form of the year ahead.

The flat course, playing 7412 yards, is usually (and somewhat surprisingly) well protected by constant winds blowing across the peninsula from the Persian Gulf, but with forecasts showing a week of calm settled weather, expect tee shots to carry and roll and scores to be low.

Consider...

The field this week is headed by some marquees players including Justin Rose (9/1), fresh from his second place last week in Abu Dhabi, Louis Oosthuizen (15/2), Sergio Garcia (12/1), Ernie Els (33/1) and Martin Kaymer (12/1, all Paddypower) among others and we’ll be assured some quality golf. With such a strong field, a decent chunk of world ranking points is guaranteed and with a WGC fast approaching not to mention The Masters in April, every incremental rise up the leader-board means more than just monetary gain.

Players to watch...

All the players mentioned above will surely catch the eye of many punters and indeed I’ve considered them all. But me being me, I can’t help pursuing value and using last week as a yardstick, the following have tickled my fancy, so to speak.

Peter Hanson (16/1) enjoyed a decent, if unspectacular week in Abu Dhabi, finishing T9th. The big Swede will have to improve his accuracy off the tee if he’s to put himself in contention. Although he has a very impressive GIR stat (70%), the water in play in Doha, not to mention the natural rock scattered around the back 9, will punish any errant drives and approaches. Hanson does however have some form at this track and I’m hoping after his outing across the Gulf, he’ll have himself in winning shape this week.

Thorbjorn Olesen (25/1) as well as The Great Dane played in Abu Dhabi in his last outing, lipping out to force a playoff with winner Jamie Donaldson, it’s this week’s price that catches the eye. Olesen is already showing a liking for desert golf but, like Hanson will need to show better accuracy off the tee. Again similar to Hanson however, his near 70% of GIR should see him find plenty of birdie action. Having only dropped 4 shots to par last week, Olesen is already showing the kind of consistency which will see him be a major (in both sense of the word) contender this year.

For the win...

Getting down to it, who’ll hit the jackpot this week? George Coetzee (28/1) is feeling a little left out among his South African brethren with some of his more celebrated countrymen stealing the limelight in recent years. Don’t be fooled however as this Burly Boer has got some serious game. Finishing strongly last week will have done his confidence the world of good, giving him his second T10 of the year. Long off the tee and impressive GIR stats with also come in handy this week.

Paul Casey (33/1) is finding his feet again after a couple of years in the doldrums. After last year’s mishap while on the piste ( I said piste!) and reported personal problems affecting his game, Casey seems to have settled back into his old ways, and it’ll surely only be a matter of time before the Englishman wins again.  Casey will need to improve his putting this week but with the amount of chances he creates with the long clubs in hand he’ll definitely give himself plenty of opportunities.

Don’t forget, get your bets on before Wednesday’s tee off. Best of luck.

Rory Byrne (@playagainstpar)