truebluefan

Charl Schwartzel took over from his fellow South African Anton Haig at the top of the leaderboard midway through a sensational second day of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy.

Schwartzel moved to the head of proceedings with a flawless five under par 67 for a halfway total of seven under par 137 at Doha Golf Club, one shot clear of England’s David Howell and Swede Alexander Noren.

Another Englishman Nick Dougherty birdied the last three holes for a five under par 67 to lie just two back alongside Scot Colin Montgomerie, who headed off in search of come haggis to celebrate Burns Night after his round of 68.

A number of players arrived in Doha looking to shake off a bit of winter rust, but not Schwartzel, who has been competing on the Sunshine Tour apart from a two week break over Christmas. Having watched another of South Africa’s rising stars steal the limelight in the opening round, Schwartzel didn’t want to be upstaged by his ISM stable mate for a second day running and produced his own impressive performance.

Noren is another player inspired by one of his close friends and rivals. Through the winter he played and practiced in Phoenix, Arizona, with Martin Kaymer, the two having struck up a friendship during their time on the Challenge Tour two years ago. Kaymer got the better of Noren in the race to win the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award last season and then captured his maiden title in last week’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship but Noren is showing he too has the game to compete at the highest level.

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truebluefan

Swede Johan Edfors takes a two stroke lead into the weekend of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy after a six birdie burst in seven holes took him past Charl Schwartzel and Lee Westwood.

Edfors, starting at the tenth, birdied three holes in a row from the 14th and picked up another hat-trick on the 18th, first and second holes on his way to a best-of-the-day six under par 66 and halfway total of 135, nine under par.

Westwood picked up two late birdies on a cold, blustery day at Doha Golf Club to shoot a round of 70 as he looks to follow his two joint second place finishes in his first two events of the season with a victory. In both those previous events, the HSBC Champions and last week’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the Englishman was well back but this time he is right in touch with Edfors’ lead.

Edfors enjoyed a phenomenal 2006 season when he won three times and having been unable to reach those heights last year took two months off before spending ten days in an intensive training camp to get his game in shape. The work is paying off and he is back enjoying his golf again.

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truebluefan

Johan Edfors held his nerve to maintain his lead in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy while Andrew Coltart rolled back the years to move within a stroke going into the final round.

Sweden’s Edfors held his game together to complete a third round of 69 to move to 12 under par 204 but with a chasing pack including three former champions on his tail, the Swede will have to be at his best to claim the title.

Coltart, who won the inaugural event in 1998, took full advantage of the benign conditions at Doha Golf Club to shoot a seven under par 65 to lie just one off the pace. His low score of the week was matched by World Number Eight Adam Scott, winner six years ago, who celebrated Australia Day by moving to nine under par and a share of fifth place with Swede Henrik Stenson, the 2006 champion, sandwiched in between alongside South African Charl Schwartzel just two shots off the lead.

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truebluefan

Adam Scott stunned his rivals with a breathtaking final round of 11 under par 61 to win the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy for the second time.

The Australian, who will move up to World Number Five with his victory, now has a record in Qatar of played twice, won twice, having previously won six years ago, making him the first player to win the title twice. It also fully justified his decision to rejoin The European Tour at the start of the season as he claimed his sixth Tour title.

The records tumbled on a spellbinding final day as he shaved two strokes off the course record, a feat which won him a BMW 650i coupe valued at $100,000. It was the lowest final round by the winner and his 20 under par total of 268 equalled the low aggregate set by Paul Lawrie in 1999.

His 61 was also the lowest final round by a winner since Jamie Spence shot 60 to win the 1992 European Masters, and, not surprisingly, it was Scott’s lowest ever round.

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