NBO Oman Open 2018

DATES: February 15-18 SITE: Al Mouj Golf, Muscat, Oman PRIZE MONEY: $1,750,000 Round 4 – Joost Luiten wins inaugural Oman Open February 18, 2018 Joost Luiten of the Netherlands won the inaugural Oman Open on Sunday to break a title drought of nearly 17 months. The 32-year-old Dutchman shot a 4-under 68 to finish on 16-under 272, two shots ahead of his friend, England’s Chris Wood (69). Embed from Getty Images It was Luiten’s sixth European Tour title and the first since the 2016 KLM Open. Frenchman Julien Guerrier (71) virtually assured that he would not have to go to qualifying school for the 12th time with a third-place finish after a 13-under 275. Luiten started with three birdies in his first four holes, but bogeys on the seventh and eighth set him back. On the back nine, he made three birdies, including a key one on the 16th, where he made a 30-foot putt. ”It feels great. I didn’t know what to expect when I came here but to play a course like this which is in great condition – it’s a great technical golf course as well – it was beyond my expectation and to hold the trophy…

DATES: February 15-18
SITE: Al Mouj Golf, Muscat, Oman
PRIZE MONEY: $1,750,000

Round 4 – Joost Luiten wins inaugural Oman Open

February 18, 2018

Joost Luiten of the Netherlands won the inaugural Oman Open on Sunday to break a title drought of nearly 17 months.

The 32-year-old Dutchman shot a 4-under 68 to finish on 16-under 272, two shots ahead of his friend, England’s Chris Wood (69).

Embed from Getty Images

It was Luiten’s sixth European Tour title and the first since the 2016 KLM Open.

Frenchman Julien Guerrier (71) virtually assured that he would not have to go to qualifying school for the 12th time with a third-place finish after a 13-under 275.

Luiten started with three birdies in his first four holes, but bogeys on the seventh and eighth set him back. On the back nine, he made three birdies, including a key one on the 16th, where he made a 30-foot putt.

”It feels great. I didn’t know what to expect when I came here but to play a course like this which is in great condition – it’s a great technical golf course as well – it was beyond my expectation and to hold the trophy is even better,” said Luiten, who is expected to rise to No. 65 in the new rankings on Monday.

”I had a great start, that’s what I was hoping for. I hit some nice ones in close and rolled in a couple of nice putts and that gets you in the right position, where you want to be.

”Unfortunately, I had a couple of bogeys as well on the front nine, but I recovered from that with a couple of nice birdies on the back nine and it was a good battle with Woody.”

Playing one group ahead, England’s Wood was right in the mix and tied with Luiten at 15-under when their fortunes went in opposite directions almost at the same time. On the 17th hole, Wood drove his tee shot into the hazard left and could do no more than chip his ball out for a bogey. Luiten, meanwhile, drained his 30-footer birdie putt on the 16th for a two-shot swing.

Recovering his form after a series of disappointments, Wood was let down by the loss and said: ”It’s golf isn’t it? You are never happy.

”I played poorly for six or eight months. Would have never thought I would have put myself into contention. And when you do, you feel gutted when you don’t win. I am pretty down really, but in the grand scheme of things, when I reflect after a couple of days, I will think it is a big step in the right direction.”

Luiten’s win also got him into the top 10 in the Race to Dubai, securing him a start at the WGC-Mexico Championship in two weeks.

Frenchman Alexander Levy (70), who was hoping to finish in the top five to push into the top 10 in the Race to Dubai and grab the WGC-Mexico spot himself, did manage a joint fourth place at 11 under, but Luiten’s victory kept him 11th.

The European Tour next moves to Doha for the Qatar Masters starting on Thursday.

Pos.
Player
Nat
To Par
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
1
Joost Luiten
NED
-16
72
66
66
68
272
2
Chris Wood
ENG
-14
70
66
69
69
274
3
Julien Guerrier
FRA
-13
69
69
66
71
275

Click here for full scores.


Round 3 – Luiten, Gerrier & Southgate tied for lead

February 17, 2018

Joost Luiten showed a return to form after a mediocre 2017 as he moved into a three-way tie for the lead in the Oman Open on Saturday.

The Dutchman shot a second straight 6-under 66 – the joint best score of the day – to move to 12-under 204. He was joined at the top by Matthew Southgate (69) and Frenchman Julien Guerrier (66) after the third round at the Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj Golf Club.

Embed from Getty Images

England’s Chris Wood (69), another man on the comeback trail, was in fourth place at 11 under, but it could have been a lot better if not for a bogey-bogey finish. Adrian Otaegui (66) was a shot behind Wood while pre-tournament favorite, France’s Alexander Levy (67), was at 9 under.

The 90th-ranked Luiten credited some hot iron play for his success after a cracked driver set him back last year when he had just two top-10 finishes the whole season.

”I cracked my driver in my first tournament of the year in Abu Dhabi and it took me almost six months to get another one that I really liked. Once you are not driving the ball well, it puts pressure on other parts of your game,” said the 32-year-old Luiten. ”My iron play did not get me into trouble at all today.”

Southgate was quick off the block with three birdies in his first three holes. But the Englishman then made two bogeys and a double bogey in his next four holes, and a birdie on the ninth saw him make the turn at even-par.

That forced him to think differently for the back nine and he was rewarded with three birdies.

”It was quite funny really,” Southgate said. ”We birdied the ninth and I walked off and said to my caddie Gary … ‘We’ve just shot level par, so let’s just pretend that we’ve made nine solid pars and that we haven’t holed a putt and haven’t made a birdie. Let’s just start again on the 10th’.”

The 32-year-old Guerrier started his round with a monster 48-foot birdie putt and had an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys

Pos.
Player
Nat
To Par
Today
R1
R2
R3
Total
T1
Joost Luiten
NED
-12
-6
72
66
66
204
T1
Julien Guerrier
FRA
-12
-6
69
69
66
204
T1
Matthew Southgate
ENG
-12
-3
65
70
69
204
4
Chris Wood
ENG
-11
-3
70
66
69
205
5
Adrian Otaegui
ESP
-10
-6
69
71
66
206
6
Alexander Levy
FRA
-9
-5
71
69
67
207
T7
Andrew Johnston
ENG
-8
-3
71
68
69
208
T7
Matthieu Pavon
FRA
-8
3
68
65
75
208
T9
Fabrizio Zanotti
PAR
-7
-2
68
71
70
209
T9
Jorge Campillo
ESP
-7
-6
73
70
66
209
T9
Robert Rock
ENG
-7
-3
69
71
69
209
T9
Seung-Su Han
KOR
-7
-2
70
69
70
209
T9
Stephen Gallacher
SCO
-7
-4
74
67
68
209


Round 2 – Matthieu Pavon fires 65 to take lead in Oman

February 16, 2018

Less than three weeks after disqualifying himself for signing his scorecard wrongly in Dubai, Matthieu Pavon was in the headlines again but this time for leading the Oman Open at the halfway stage on Friday.

The 25-year-old Frenchman made seven birdies in his first 14 holes in Muscat, and then produced a fighting finish to save pars down the stretch and close on a 7-under 65. Pavon is 11-under 133 overall and holds a two-shot lead over Matthew Southgate (70) at the Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj Golf Club.

Embed from Getty Images

England’s Southgate, joint leader overnight, had a double bogey after driving into the water on the 18th.

Chris Wood (66) and Paul Waring (71), both from England, were tied for third on 8-under 136.

Darren Clarke (67) went bogey-free to make his first cut on the European Tour since 2016. The Northern Irishman was at 5 under overall and tied for ninth place going into the weekend.

Pavon, third in last year’s Scottish and Portugal Opens, went out in 31 with five birdies and then added three more in the next five holes, along with his only bogey on the par-3 13th.

He produced a great up-and-down on the 15th after finding the fairway bunker, and then had an anxious time watching his tee shot curve just enough to miss the water guarding the right side of the 18th fairway.

Asked about his selfless act in Dubai – when he realized he had accidentally signed for a 3 instead of a 4 on one hole – the 156th-ranked Pavon said: ”I really don’t think too much about it. At that time I just did what I knew was the right thing to do. Of course, I appreciate all the nice messages I got after that, but today was just good golf”

Southgate, who had surgery for testicular cancer in 2015, was happy with his performance despite the late hiccup on the 18th.

”I hit a poor swing and made a poor error and I’m kind of not surprised. It was a hot day and it has taken a lot out of me,” said Southgate.

”These things happen, I didn’t mean to do it. There’s going to be hundreds of shots that I hit in my career that I’m not happy with and that was just one of them.”

Pos.
Player
Nat
To Par
R1
R2
Total
1
Matthieu Pavon
FRA
-11
68
65
133
2
Matthew Southgate
ENG
-9
65
70
135
T3
Chris Wood
ENG
-8
70
66
136
T3
Paul Waring
ENG
-8
65
71
136
5
Daan Huizing
NED
-7
66
71
137
T6
Joost Luiten
NED
-6
72
66
138
T6
Julien Guerrier
FRA
-6
69
69
138
T6
Marcus Kinhult
SWE
-6
69
69
138
T9
Andrew Johnston
ENG
-5
71
68
139
T9
Darren Clarke
NIR
-5
72
67
139
T9
Fabrizio Zanotti
PAR
-5
68
71
139
T9
Lee Slattery
ENG
-5
72
67
139
T9
Matteo Manassero
ITA
-5
68
71
139
T9
Oliver Farr
WAL
-5
68
71
139
T9
Phachara Khongwatmai
THA
-5
70
69
139
T9
Sam Brazel
AUS
-5
68
71
139
T9
Seung-Su Han
KOR
-5
70
69
139


Round 1 – Sullivan trailing 2 behind leaders Southgate & Waring

February 15, 2018

Andy Sullivan showed signs of turning around his fortunes by producing a superb back nine to start the Oman Open with a 5-under-par 67 on Thursday.

He birdied six of his last 10 holes but still trailed English compatriots – cancer survivor Matthew Southgate and Paul Waring – by two shots on a day when the winds stayed away from the Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj Golf Club.

Embed from Getty Images

Sullivan was part of Europe’s losing Ryder Cup team in 2016 at Hazeltine. But he struggled throughout 2017, posted only two top-10s, and dropped in the ranking from top 30 to outside the top 130.

Playing in the afternoon, Waring, winless on the European Tour in 11 seasons, started with a bogey-free round of 65.

Southgate, who made his second hole-in-one in a month, joined him on top moments later.

Dutch golfer Daan Huizing, who turned pro after reaching No. 2 in the world amateur ranking in 2012, made the most of a sponsor’s exemption and was in third place at 6-under 66.

Starting the day on the 10th tee, Sullivan was 1 over after eight holes with back-to-back bogeys. But a birdie on the par-4 18th got him going, and a hat trick of birdies from the second took him to 3 under.

The putt of the day came on the sixth hole where he drained a birdie attempt from 45 feet.

”My game has come back,” said Sullivan, who tied for sixth in the Dubai Desert Classic last month.

”I’ve worked really hard over the seven weeks I had off after the World Tour Championship in Dubai (in November), and it’s nice just to be back at the right end of the leaderboard.

”It was just a bit of complacency. I got to the Ryder Cup pretty early and achieved everything in really quick time, and you just don’t realize how hard you have to work to maintain these things. I’d be guilty of that.

Southgate, who overcame testicular cancer in 2015, aced the par-3 fifth hole – his 14th – and moved to a bogey-free 7 under with another birdie at the eighth.

Southgate also holed a tee shot in Dubai last month.

Waring’s best finish on the European Tour was a tie for second a year ago at the Joburg Open.

”I felt really in control today,” he said. ”I took advantage of the par fives.”

Pos.
Player
Nat
To Par
R1
T1
Matthew Southgate
ENG
-7
65
T1
Paul Waring
ENG
-7
65
3
Daan Huizing
NED
-6
66
T4
Andy Sullivan
ENG
-5
67
T4
Callum Shinkwin
ENG
-5
67
T6
Fabrizio Zanotti
PAR
-4
68
T6
Jordan Smith
ENG
-4
68
T6
Matteo Manassero
ITA
-4
68
T6
Matthieu Pavon
FRA
-4
68
T6
Oliver Farr
WAL
-4
68
T6
Sam Brazel
AUS
-4
68


Scores

Pos.
Player
Nat
To Par
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
1
Joost Luiten
NED
-16
72
66
66
68
272
2
Chris Wood
ENG
-14
70
66
69
69
274
3
Julien Guerrier
FRA
-13
69
69
66
71
275
T4
Alexander Levy
FRA
-11
71
69
67
70
277
T4
Jorge Campillo
ESP
-11
73
70
66
68
277
T4
Seung-Su Han
KOR
-11
70
69
70
68
277
T7
Fabrizio Zanotti
PAR
-10
68
71
70
69
278
T7
Robert Rock
ENG
-10
69
71
69
69
278
T9
Benjamin Hebert
FRA
-9
72
70
69
68
279
T9
Matthew Southgate
ENG
-9
65
70
69
75
279
T9
Stephen Gallacher
SCO
-9
74
67
68
70
279
T12
Adrian Otaegui
ESP
-8
69
71
66
74
280
T12
Alexander Bjoerk
SWE
-8
72
68
70
70
280
T12
Andrew Johnston
ENG
-8
71
68
69
72
280
T12
Nico Geyger
CHI
-8
72
72
67
69
280
T16
Andrea Pavan
ITA
-7
70
72
70
69
281
T16
Andy Sullivan
ENG
-7
67
73
71
70
281
T16
Edoardo Molinari
ITA
-7
73
71
67
70
281
T16
Marcus Kinhult
SWE
-7
69
69
74
69
281
T16
Sam Brazel
AUS
-7
68
71
72
70
281
T21
Daan Huizing
NED
-6
66
71
76
69
282
T21
Jeff Winther
SWE
-6
70
71
71
70
282
T23
David Drysdale
SCO
-5
72
70
70
71
283
T23
Maximilian Kieffer
GER
-5
70
72
71
70
283
T23
Tapio Pulkkanen
FIN
-5
74
68
71
70
283
T26
Charlie Ford
ENG
-4
69
74
70
71
284
T26
Haydn Porteous
RSA
-4
72
72
70
70
284
T26
Jeung-Hun Wang
KOR
-4
73
69
74
68
284
T26
Jordan Smith
ENG
-4
68
72
72
72
284
T26
Mikko Ilonen
FIN
-4
73
71
70
70
284
T31
Gregory Bourdy
FRA
-3
72
68
72
73
285
T31
Lee Slattery
ENG
-3
72
67
74
72
285
T31
Matteo Manassero
ITA
-3
68
71
71
75
285
T31
Matthieu Pavon
FRA
-3
68
65
75
77
285
T31
Thomas Bjorn
DEN
-3
71
73
67
74
285
T31
Thomas Detry
BEL
-3
72
69
74
70
285
T37
Aaron Rai
ENG
-2
71
70
71
74
286
T37
Clement Sordet
FRA
-2
74
70
71
71
286
T37
Connor Syme
SCO
-2
70
71
72
73
286
T37
Phachara Khongwatmai
THA
-2
70
69
79
68
286
T37
Richard Sterne
RSA
-2
72
70
71
73
286
T37
Scott Fernandez
ESP
-2
72
70
70
74
286
T37
Soo-Min Lee
KOR
-2
69
74
72
71
286
T44
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
RSA
-1
70
74
71
72
287
T44
Eddie Pepperell
ENG
-1
71
71
74
71
287
T44
Matt Wallace
ENG
-1
69
72
75
71
287
T44
Oliver Fisher
ENG
-1
73
70
74
70
287
T44
Pablo Larrazabal
ESP
-1
73
71
72
71
287
T44
Paul Waring
ENG
-1
65
71
81
70
287
T44
Raphael Jacquelin
FRA
-1
69
74
71
73
287
T51
Nino Bertasio
ITA
Par
70
72
74
72
288
T51
Thongchai Jaidee
THA
Par
72
71
71
74
288
T53
Daniel Im
USA
1
75
69
72
73
289
T53
Ryan Evans
ENG
1
72
71
73
73
289
T53
Shiv Chawrasia
IND
1
73
69
76
71
289
T56
Callum Shinkwin
ENG
2
67
74
73
76
290
T56
Daisuke Kataoka
JPN
2
69
74
71
76
290
T56
Scott Hend
AUS
2
71
71
75
73
290
T59
Jens Dantorp
SWE
3
71
72
71
77
291
T59
Oliver Farr
WAL
3
68
71
72
80
291
T61
Darren Clarke
NIR
4
72
67
78
75
292
T61
Paul Lawrie
SCO
4
71
73
72
76
292
T63
Bradley Neil
SCO
6
74
69
79
72
294
T63
Marc Warren
SCO
6
69
72
80
73
294
T65
Jonathan Thomson
ENG
7
71
72
75
77
295
T65
Richard McEvoy
ENG
7
72
71
78
74
295
T65
Zander Lombard
RSA
7
72
70
75
78
295
68
Gavin Green
MAS
10
72
71
79
76
298
69
Pep Angles
ESP
13
73
71
77
80
301
CUT
Ashley Chesters
ENG
1
74
71
145
CUT
Carlos Pigem
ESP
1
73
72
145
CUT
David Horsey
ENG
1
73
72
145
CUT
Felipe Aguilar
CHI
1
69
76
145
CUT
Gavin Moynihan
IRL
1
71
74
145
CUT
Jacques Kruyswijk
RSA
1
72
73
145
CUT
James Morrison
ENG
1
72
73
145
CUT
Jason Scrivener
AUS
1
75
70
145
CUT
Lasse Jensen
DNK
1
72
73
145
CUT
Matthias Schwab
AUT
1
74
71
145
CUT
Richard Bland
ENG
1
72
73
145
CUT
Romain Wattel
FRA
1
73
72
145
CUT
Sebastien Gros
FRA
1
72
73
145
CUT
Shubhankar Sharma
IND
1
73
72
145
CUT
Thomas Aiken
RSA
1
74
71
145
CUT
Victor Perez
FRA
1
72
73
145
CUT
Chase Koepka
USA
2
73
73
146
CUT
Jazz Janewattananond
MAS
2
72
74
146
CUT
Joakim Lagergren
SWE
2
71
75
146
CUT
Lucas Bjerregaard
DNK
2
76
70
146
CUT
Marcel Siem
GER
2
74
72
146
CUT
Rak Cho
KOR
2
70
76
146
CUT
Robert Karlsson
SWE
2
77
69
146
CUT
Sebastian Heisele
GER
2
70
76
146
CUT
Steven Brown
ENG
2
76
70
146
CUT
Anthony Wall
ENG
3
75
72
147
CUT
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
ESP
3
73
74
147
CUT
Henric Sturehed
SWE
3
75
72
147
CUT
Jamie Donaldson
WAL
3
74
73
147
CUT
Laurie Canter
ENG
3
73
74
147
CUT
Lucas Herbert
AUS
3
73
74
147
CUT
Matthew Baldwin
ENG
3
72
75
147
CUT
Pedro Oriol
ESP
3
70
77
147
CUT
Sam Horsfield
ENG
3
72
75
147
CUT
Adrien Saddier
SCO
4
74
74
148
CUT
Bernd Ritthammer
GER
4
73
75
148
CUT
Chris Hanson
ENG
4
72
76
148
CUT
Jin-Ho Choi
KOR
4
72
76
148
CUT
Mark Foster
ENG
4
75
73
148
CUT
Matthew Nixon
ENG
4
73
75
148
CUT
Mikko Korhonen
FIN
4
71
77
148
CUT
Ricardo Melo Gouveia
POR
4
75
73
148
CUT
Sean Crocker
USA
4
75
73
148
CUT
Soren Kjeldsen
DEN
4
73
75
148
CUT
Ben Evans
ENG
5
76
73
149
CUT
Bradley Dredge
WAL
5
71
78
149
CUT
Brett Rumford
AUS
5
74
75
149
CUT
Nacho Elvira
ESP
5
75
74
149
CUT
James Heath
ENG
5
78
71
149
CUT
Michael Lorenzo-Vera
FRA
5
77
72
149
CUT
Renato Paratore
ITA
5
73
76
149
CUT
Brandon Stone
RSA
6
76
74
150
CUT
Gregory Havret
FRA
6
76
74
150
CUT
Lorenzo Gagli
ITA
6
75
75
150
CUT
Marcel Schneider
GER
6
74
76
150
CUT
Peter Stojanovski
6
75
75
150
CUT
Alvaro Quiros
ESP
7
74
77
151
CUT
Ashun Wu
CHI
7
71
80
151
CUT
Christofer Blomstrand
SWE
8
76
76
152
CUT
Jens Fahrbring
SWE
8
74
78
152
CUT
Adam Bland
AUS
9
80
73
153
CUT
Josh Geary
NZL
10
80
74
154
CUT
Pontus Widegren
SWE
11
75
80
155
CUT
Darren Fichardt
RSA
12
79
77
156
CUT
Graeme Storm
ENG
16
77
83
160
CUT
Steven Troup
16
77
83
160
CUT
Azaan Al Rumhy
19
80
83
163
CUT
Nasser Yacoob Saleh
28
85
87
172
RET
Daniel Brooks
ENG
Par
0
Updated: October 6, 2022