Tyrrell Hatton started the BMW PGA Championship with a fine 66 to share the lead at Wentworth with Adri Arnaus and Justin Harding. Pictures by GETTY IMAGES

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S Tyrrell Hatton enjoyed a happy homecoming in his first round on British soil in 2020 at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

The former Wee Wonders champion shot an opening round of 66 on the West Course to share the lead with Spain’s Adri Arnaus and South African Justin Harding.

The 28-year-old carded an eagle and five birdies, including one at the eighth – his final hole – en route to a six-under par round as he chases a third Rolex Series title, in the third Rolex event of the year.

Hatton, a member at Harleyford GC, said: “Obviously, it was tough this morning, and I hit a few poor shots.

“But the key thing was I recovered really well. I followed it up with a really good shot. That kind of kept momentum going.

“It was easy to make mistakes out there. So I’m very happy with my round.

“I think for me, I just feel pretty comfortable out on the golf course,” said Hatton, who grew up – like most of his peers and Justin Rose and Paul Casey before him – watching their idols tackle Wentworth’s premier course.

Tyrrell, who won the Turkish Airlines Open last year, added: “I’ve been around it so many times now, so kind of almost has that home course feel, and you just feel like you know it so well.

“It was a nice start and hopefully I can keep that going for the next few days.”

Former B.B.&O. player Luke Donald won the BMW PGA at Wentworth in 2011

Hatton a visitor to Wentworth for 23 years

ASKED what it would mean to follow past winners Paul Casey and Luke Donald – the latter played for B.B.&O. as an amateur like Hatton – he said: “It would be special.

“This is a tournament I’ve been coming to since I was five years old. To lift the trophy here is a goal of mine in my career.

“And hopefully I can play well the next few days and give myself a chance to do that.”

The World No, 15 won his maiden PGA Tour event at the Arnold Plamer Invitational before the coronavirus pandemic brought golf aorund the the world to a halt.

His other Rolex Series win came in the Italian Open three years ago.

Hatton was joined at the summit by South African Harding and Spaniard Arnaus, both of whom enjoyed flawless six under rounds in the more favourable afternoon conditions.

FOUR players sit a shot off the pace, including reigning Open Champion Shane Lowry, who continued his strong form on Wentworth’s West Course by opening with a five-under 67.

His round comprised five birdies and a bogey in his final six holes.

Lowry – who famously claimed the Claret Jug when The Open returned to Royal Portrush last summer, said: “I’m very happy with that.

“You know, I came here, only arrived here Tuesday night and I played a practice round yesterday – and couldn’t believe how different it was playing it this year – long and soft and difficult.

“We were very lucky with our side of the draw. I think the morning starters had it harder than we did.

“So I was happy to go out there this afternoon, and we sort of played the last few holes with not much wind. And I took advantage of that.”

The Irishman shares fourth place with former Ryder Cup player Matt Fitzpatrick, his fellow B.B.&O. team-mate Eddie Pepperell and Malaysia’s Gavin Green.

Justin Rose is in the chasing pack after shooting a 68 on Wentworth’s West Course

Rai ready to mount another Rolex charge

AARON Rai, who won his maiden Rolex Series title at last week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, and former World No. 1 Justin Rose were among those players a shot further back on four-under.

Rai, like Hatton – and top English women amateurs Annabell and Samantha Fuller – began his career to the top by winning the HSBC Wee Wonders junior competition at St Andrews some 15 years ago.

Last week’s Rolex winner said: “I’m really pleased. It’s been a different build up over the last few days to this event after last week.

“So it was nice to get started on the course and get off to a good start,” said Rai.

“I think for success on any style of golf course, there are a lot of things you’ve got going right in your game.

“And that can be taken forward to any week, such as the short game, good putting.

“I think strategy on the Monday and Tuesday, learning the course, is imperative to play well this week – and prepare for these kind of conditions.

“It was nice just to be able to put it all together today. For me it was important to get here on Monday and Tuesday to practise exactly how I normally would.

“I think it was more to show myself, really, that I’m here to try and perform as well as possible on this given week, regardless of what had happened on Sunday at the Scottish.

“To be in contention, to have a good result and to win an event is an incredible thing to take forward to this week and for the rest of the year.”

Spain’s Adri Arnaus shared the lead after the first round of the BMW PGA Championship

Arnaus likes first look of West Course

DEBUTANT Arnaus is looking for his maiden win after some good displays over the past two years.

He said: “It’s always good news when you’re not adding any strokes to your scoreboard.

“So yeah, very, very pleased with how I played. I was very on point from tee, hitting on to the green and then I rolled some putts.

“So enjoyed it a lot, my first competitive round around here, and it was very, very fun.

“The course is definitely playing a bit longer, I would say because it’s a touch wet.

“But it’s the only way I’ve seen it, so I don’t know how it was playing the other years.

“They have told me it was running much more on the greens a bit firmer. Just a matter of putting it in place and then attacking from there.”

•Follow live scoring in the second round by clicking here.

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Justin Harding, who produced five birdies on his back nine on Sunday to win last year’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, which moves to Education City GC, for his defence.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JUSTIN Harding hopes memories of his victory in Doha last year can fuel his challenge for more success at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters – which moves to a new venue this week.

The South African lifted his maiden European Tour title in dramatic fashion at last year’s event after some last day heroics saw him hold off a big chasing pack at Doha Golf Club.

Harding fired five birdies on the back nine – including at the 15th, 17th and 18th – to earn a two-shot victory from a group of nine players who tied for second.

Harding after playing a practice round recalled: “It was a pretty good day.

“I got off to a good start, lost my head a little bit on seven and eight, but looked at the leaderboard and nobody ever really seemed to be running away with it.

“There looked like a lot of guys that were there or thereabouts,” added Harding, who rose from 74th in the Official World Rankings that week to a career high of 42nd, but who is now down to 99th.

“I ended up birdieing 11 and 12, then again 15. When I parred 16 I thought that was a chance given away, but I hit a good shot and made a great putt on 17.

“And birdie on 18 was big because it meant guys had to make two coming in, added Harding, who needs a big week in his quest to move back into the world’s top 50 to secure his place in the USPGA Championship in May.

“It was a bad little 45-minute wait but nobody seemed to really post a score. I think there were nine guys tied for second so I was quite pleased to avoid a play-off.

“It was cool to have finally crossed the line and got a W. It is just a matter of trying to feed on the same sort of memories this week and see if we can defend it.

The 34-year-old won’t have the defending champion’s advantage of returning to the same course as the event moves across the Qatari capital for the first time in its 23-year history.

The action moves from Doha Golf Club to Jose Maria Olazabal’s Education City Golf Club – a landmark project for Qatar and the world of golf – which offers a “revolutionary” approach to growing the game.

Harding, who finished 12th on his Masters debut in 2019, added: “I played so many new courses last year it’s actually quite nice. You’ve almost got no bad memories, you’re playing fresh.

“It’s a nice little challenge. It means everyone is pretty much in the same boat,” said Justin Harding of the 7,307 yard, par-71 course, which features paspalum grass greens.

“It’s not like you’re playing against a bunch of guys that have a world of good memories and good things to bring out on their play.

“It’s just one of those where you’ve got to go out and play with what you have on the day and deal with what happens.

“It’s a good golf course. I’ve played nine holes and I think the wind’s going to blow. It’s going to make it challenging for scoring.

“You’ll probably find it’s not going to be 20-under par winning, it’s going to anywhere in between -12 and -15.

“I’m looking forward to going out, seeing if we can execute plans, make some birdies and see what happens.”

Justin Harding is joined in the field by former World No. 1 Martin Kaymer, the 2018 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters winner Eddie Pepperell, from Oxfordshire’s Frilford Heath, as well as last week’s Oman Open winner Sami Valimaki.

The latter picked up four wins on the German Pro Golf Tour last season – the same route Kaymer, who has won three times in Abu Dhabi during the Desert Swing since 2008, took to the European Challenge Tour in 2006.

Valimaki, who also won as an amateur on the Gecko Tour in Spain, was a 250-1 shot heading into just his sixth event last week at Oman’a Al Mouj Golf, which again attracted high praise as one of the best courses on the European Tour.

•For tee times in the first round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, click here.

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Nicholas Colsearts has been a regular visitor to Mauritius over the last decade… now as a recent European Tour winner he has his sights set on playing in more Majors and another Ryder Cup. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BELGIAN stars Nicolas Colsaerts and Thomas Pieters are looking forward to rounding off a successful year in style when they tee it up in the idyllic surroundings of Heritage Golf Club for this week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

The two former Ryder Cup players returned to winning ways during the 2019 season – and now have the opportunity to claim another title before the year is out in the second event of the 2020 Race to Dubai.

The chance to work their way into European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington’s team for the next edition of the biennial contest in September is in the back of both of their minds.

But Colsaerts is first and foremost relishing the opportunity to play with freedom in the coming months, after erasing doubts about securing his 2020 card by lifting his third European Tour trophy at the Amundi Open de France, at Le Paris National, in October.

Colsaerts, who has had a home at Ernie Els’ Anihita Golf Club on the east coast of the island in the Indian Ocean for some time, said after the French win secured his status: “I came from not knowing if I had to go to Q-School to now having two years’ exempt.

“I played a lot of events last year. We have a young boy at home and you sometimes wish you could spend more time at home, which will definitely be the case next year, bit of a lighter schedule,” added Colsearts who became a father for the first time in 2019.

“Being able to play these events with a different mindset is something that I look forward to.

“You always have pretty much the same goals, you want to add as many lines as possible to your CV. We’re into a Ryder Cup year, and I want to keep playing big events.

“I haven’t played in the Majors for a couple of years now, so it would be good to have a chance again.

“The mindset will be totally different. I really look forward to 2020 and being able to tee it up a bit more freely and try to make the most out of these weeks.

“I’m fortunate enough to have been coming to Mauritius for 20 years. It’s always been a very popular destination for golfers from Europe in winter.

“The list of qualities that this place has is endless – the hospitality, the scenery, the food, the weather and now golf tournaments as well.”

While Colsaerts – who was one of the heroes in the Ryder Cup win at Medinah in 2012 – has been a regular visitor to Mauritius for two decades, this week is an all-new experience for his compatriot Pieters, who is soaking up the island life for the first time.

After claiming the D+D Real Czech Masters title in August, the 2016 Ryder Cup star enjoyed a strong end to the season with a tied sixth place finish at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

Pieters is looking forward to carrying that form in to the new season at the fifth edition of the unique island event, tri-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour.

“It was lovely to finish off with a good result in Dubai,” said Pieters. “I played pretty well and felt like my game was turning.

“It’s almost a shame that the season had to end for me in Dubai. Happy to be playing here – it’s the first time I have played before Abu Dhabi. It’s almost like getting a bit of a head start. Looking forward to it.

“Ryder Cup is going to be on my mind and on my list, but there is so much golf to be played before then. Any points will help.

“This week at some point it will pop into my mind. If you’re having a bad stretch during a round you just remind yourself that every point counts and every shot counts. That’s the mindset you need to have.

“I’m absolutely loving it here. I’ve never been on really white beaches before, the water is so clear, beautiful scenery.

“I went swimming with dolphins on Sunday, which was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.

“You can go snorkelling on the beach and then it’s a five-minute stroll to the driving range. You’ve got everything you need here.”

Bezuidenhout and Harding lead the African entries with fellow winners Law and McEvoy

ALSO in the field for this this week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open are South African winners Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Justin Hardin, who both won on the 2019 season.

The pair are joined by Essex’s Richard McEvoy, who claimed victory in the 2018 Porsche European Open, and Scotland’s David Law, who won the ISPS Handa Vic Open, in Australia, in February.

Meanwhile Lancashire’s Lee Slattery has been given a sponsor’s invite after the Formby Hall pro lost his Tour card and was unable to finish in the top 25 at last month European Tour Qualfying School, in Spain.

Scotland’s Paul Lawrie the 1999 Open Champion at Carnoustie, who like Law hails from Aberdeen, is also one of the 10 players to receive a sponsor’s inviate along with Spaniard Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño.

The seven-time European Tour winner who lost his card having moved to Florida, failed to keep his PGA Tour card in 2015 after two years playing in the States.

He played on the Web.com Tour and returned to the top level in 2017 – only to fail to make the top 125 on the FedEx Cup money list by just one spot, forcing him to return to Europe for the past two years.

A 104th place finish on the Race to Dubai kept a card for 2019, but he was in 127th place last month missing out on a place in the top 115 that would hav secured his status for 2020 by 67.4 points.

•For tee times at this week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open click here.

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Bryson DeChambeau matched the fireworks of last year’s US Open and PGA Champion Brooks Koepka by firing a superb 66 to lead the Masters at Augusta after the first round . Picture by GETTY IMAGES.

BRYSON DeChambeau produced an incredible finish, posting four closing birdies to share the lead with Brooks Koepka at six-under par the end of day one at the Masters.

A remarkable run of scoring in the late groups stretched the field at Augusta National Golf Club, with DeChambeau amongst a host of European Tour players in the mix going into Friday at the first Major Championship of the year.

South African debutant Justin Harding was one of the players who had set the target at three-under early in the day.

And for a long time it looked like there would be a highly congested leaderboard as a nine-way tie for the lead developed.

But four birdies in a row from the 12th hole from Koepka moved the three-time Major champion to six-under and into a two-shot lead.

DeChambeau’s incredible finish saw him catch his fellow American, thanks in part to a wonderful second shot on the 18^th where he was only denied an eagle by the pin flag.

The player, known as “The Mad Scientist” for his quirky mathematical approach to golf, signed for a 66  – his best round at Augusta National.

Meanwhile Koepka, playing behind his rival who has won five times since last June, parred his way home to record the only bogey-free round of the day and share top spot.

The winner of the Dubai Desert Classic – the same route to the Green Jacket taken by Sergio Garcia in 2017 and Danny Willett in 2016 – said “It’s my best round out here, a 66.

“I was just looking to shoot something in the 60s this week because I haven’t done that yet in my couple times playing here.

“What a magical back nine.  Wind started to pick up, right around Amen Corner, and it was tough.  It was not easy one bit.” Bryson added.

“But we just stuck to what we knew we should have done, and we did, and was able to execute a beautiful nine-iron on 12 that kind of jump started my back nine, hitting it to five feet, making that putt got me rolling.

“I should have pulled the flagstick out (on the 18^th). But no, it was a great shot, and I was excited just to tap‑in to finish off a great round.”

Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson birdied five of his last seven holes to sit one shot off the lead at five-under, a shot clear of fellow American Dustin Johnson and Woburn’s Ian Poulter.

The honorary member at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club where he started life in the pro shop, said: “I’m very happy with today’s work. It’s a great start to a long week.

“The weather is going to be interesting over the next three days with the thunderstorms coming in,” said Poulter.

“The course dried out nicely today.  A couple of greens may have been a touch slower than what we’ve previously had in the past on a Thursday.

“But I’m happy with that and feel pretty good about it. My whole game was together, from the first hole to the 18th hole.

“I mean I only missed two greens in regulation, I think.  One of them was nine.  I made bogey there.

“And the other green I missed I was kind of 12 feet from the pin and just on the fringe.  So really my putting all around today was extremely solid. I need to do that over the next few days.”

Harding – who has won five times worldwide in the last year, including his maiden European Tour title at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters – is joined at three-under par by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kevin Kisner of the United States, Australian Adam Scott and Spain’s Jon Rahm.

South African Harding, who played a practice round with 2011 Green Jacket winner Charl Schwartzel earlier in the week, said: “I was happy with it, I handled my emotions pretty well, a bit annoying on the last making bogey.  But at the end of the day I’ll take it.

“Golf is purely momentum based.  If you take enough confidence into the rounds then you’re bound to play well.

“You just pretty much need to get out of your own way. I’ll take it and run if I can – we’re not allowed to run here at Augusta – but I’m pleased.

“It’s one of those where I gave myself a couple chances, I didn’t feel like I took great advantage of the par fives.

“I managed to hit a wedge close in on 16 but other than that it was one of those where you just kind of sneak in a birdie here or there where you can.

“I managed to hit a couple of fairways.  I’m still learning and this golf course is difficult.”

Rahm, who finished fourth last year and has since made his debut for Europe in the Ryder Cup thrashing handed out to the Americans in Paris last year, has made a great start to 2019 with five top 10s in eight starts.

The Spaniard said: “I think that the most important thing is I never lost patience.

“I was one over par on the par fives going to the back nine where it’s easy to get a little frustrated and I didn’t.

“I kept my cool and I was able to make a great birdie on nine and get where I’m going.

“It’s tough out there, they made a few changes to the golf course, they put some tough pins early in the day already, the greens started getting progressively firmer, so just being able to make a couple good putts and shoot under par is a good round.”

Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, who is also making his debut at Augusta – having reached the last four of the WGC World Match Play in Texas two weeks ago – and The Open champion Francesco Molinari are among a group of 10 players at two-under.

The post The ‘Mad Scientist’ Bryson DeChambeau leads Masters appeared first on Golf North.

Guido Migliozzi who was crowned the first winner of the Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

GUIDO Migliozzi held his nerve to claim a maiden European Tour title after carding a closing round of 69 to win the Magical Kenya Open.

The Italian, who became a European Tour member for the first time in November after progressing through Qualifying School, started the day in a tie for the lead with fellow rookie Adri Arnaus.

And the pair exchanged blows throughout an enthralling final day in Nairobi until Migliozzi closed out in style hitting the pin with his approach shot on the 18th in front a large crowd at Kenya’s inaugural European Tour event.

Migliozzi, who claimed three victories in 2017 and 2018 playing on the Alps Tour – where Hertfordshire’s Matt Wallace proved his winning pedigree with six wins in 2016 – was beaming after his win.

The former Italian Amateur Strokeplay and Matchplay champion, who was the first player to sign for One Direction’s Nial Horan’s Modest Golf management group, said: “I like the pressure, it’s like a drug. I love pressure, I love playing with a lot of people looking at me and a lot of cameras.

“Obviously I played with Adri Arnaus and we had a beautiful match together yesterday, it was like match play and today was a great battle.

“Yesterday I went to the left at the 18th with a two iron, today a four iron to be sure to not go left, and I had the perfect distance for an eight iron, it was really nice. Easy two putts to win.

“I enjoyed the last two days very much. The pressure was a lot and I’m happy about how I’m playing under pressure, also with my putting game that I worked a lot on.

“I would like to thank every part of my team,” added the 2016 Portuguese International Amateur Champion.

It was the 22-year-old who would prevail though delivering when it mattered most by hitting the pin with his approach to the 18^th to set up a two-putt par which saw him triumph by one shot.

Finishing one behind Migliozzi was Arnaus and South Africans Louis de Jager and Justin Harding.

Following his Qatar Masters victory last week, Harding was firmly in contention right down to the wire in the Kenyan capital, thanks to a five-under final round of 66.

Harding, who needs to break into the World top 50 to earn a debut in the Masters at Augusta, next month, said: “I think I’m probably still going to have to have a decent result come the Match Play but I’ve at least given myself a decent shot at Augusta.

“I thought I played quite nicely. Didn’t get everything out of the front nine, couple of bad chips on six and seven which were naughty, but gave myself a chance coming down the stretch.

“It was another good week, pretty pleased. I battled, probably from hole one, with club selection and the wind swirling around so to have come out and posted 15-under, I’m pleased.

“I had a good week last week and another one this week so I’m sitting quite nicely first season on the European Tour.”

Having gone back-to-back with wins on the Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour last year, many were thinking he could complete a remarkable treble after making an eagle on the 12th, but ultimately the bogey on 13 ended his dream of another win so soon.

Setting a new course record at Karen Country Club was Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who ended a nine-week stretch away from his native Scotland with a scintillating eight under par round of 63.

MacIntyre, who lost in the 2016 Amateur Championship final to Hampshire’s Scott Gregory, said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I didn’t really expect that after the way I’ve been playing but I just went out with complete freedom and managed to get it round in eight under.

“I just can’t wait to get home and see the family, the two foster kids Dan and Tom, it’s just so relaxing back in Oban, everything about it.

“It just wasn’t feeling natural and today I went out there and made myself feel free and it just worked.

“I’ve got the game to go and shoot these numbers as I showed, it’s just playing with freedom and that’s what I did. That’s the way I’ve got to try and get my mindset for the rest of the year.”

Hampshire rookie Jack Singh-Brar, who finished 12th to move up to 86th place on the Race to Dubai. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Hampshire rookie Jack Singh Brar, who started Sunday with a chance of his maiden European win, but a two-over 73 saw him drop from sixth to 12th leaving the winner of last year’s Cordon Golf Open on the Challenge Tour with a cheque for €17,208, pushing him up to 86th place on the Race to Dubai.

Singh Brar, who played in the same Great Britian and Ireland Walker Cup team as former Hampshire junior team-mates Harry Ellis and Scott Gregory, also signed for Horan’s Modest Group after turning pro after the defeat against the USA at Los Angeles Country Club.

He was one of 15 players to earn a full tour card on the Challenge Tour in 2018.

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South Africa’s Louis de Jager opened up a four-shot lead in the Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club, in Nairobi. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

LOUIS de Jager opened up a commanding four-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Magical Kenya Open after carding a second round of 66 in Nairobi.

The South African shared the overnight lead with England’s Jack Singh Brar going into day two at Karen Country Club, but after bagging seven birdies today he put daylight between himself and the rest of the field.

De Jager, who triumphed on the Sunshine Tour earlier this year, will have history on his side going into the weekend because over the last five seasons a player has led by four or more shots after 36 holes on ten occasions on the European Tour – with seven going on to win.

A delighted de Jager said: “I had to find my feet a bit at the start of the season but I’m feeling comfortable out here now.

“I told the guys when we played a practice round on Tuesday, after the desert, you could feel you were in Africa, back in our continent.

“You get used to the feel of the Kikuyu grass, and the ball travels the same as back home in Pretoria, distance wise, so it really feels like we’re back home.

“My game plan over the weekend is not to be too aggressive. The most important thing is hitting the fairways and hitting the greens because the greens are quite small.  If you hit the greens you’ve always got a good birdie chance here.”

Four shots off the pace in a share of second place are Singh Brar and Spaniard Adri Arnaus. Both European Challenge Tour graduates, the pair are well poised to make a charge for a maiden European Tour title after rounds of 70 and 68 respectively today.

Hampshire-based Challenge Tour gradute Singh Brar said: “It has been a fun two days. Yesterday I played really solid and today I kept it in there again today.

“It was a bit of an up and down round today – a bit of a mixed bag. I had a couple of good opportunities early doors and then missed a good birdie chance on nine which stunted my movement a little bit – then I was a bit scruffy on the back nine.

“I’m still in a good position and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

In contention again is South African Justin Harding, who is five behind his countryman de Jager.

The World No. 52, who triumphed in Qatar last week, is looking to become the first player to win back-to-back European Tour events since Justin Rose, who achieved the feat in 2017.

Harding said: “I was a little bit more aggressive today as you have to get it in close here as it can be awkward in places.

“You have to pick and choose your moments here and I did that well out there. I have been trying to make less mistakes recently and I went over the green just once today – that wasn’t the case yesterday – so I am really happy with my performance.”

The post De Jager game plan is not to bomb it in Kenya appeared first on Golf North.

Commercial Bank Qatar Masters winner Justin Harding is looking for a second title in a row at the Magical Kenya Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JUSTIN Harding is looking to win back-to-back titles on three different golf tours by claiming victory at the Magical Kenya Open this week.

The South African, who won on the European Tour for the first time at last week’s Qatar Masters, has triumphed on five occasions in the last ten months, with back-to-back victories coming on both the Sunshine Tour, and the Asian Tour, last summer.

Such a remarkable run has catapulted the 33-year-old, who has won 11 professional titles worldwide, from outside the top 500 in the world to World No. 52 over the course of 12 months, leaving Harding with a good chance of qualifying for next month’s Masters Tournament.

Harding said: “It would have been an unbelievable thought 12 months ago to think that I’d have a chance of qualifying for Augusta. I have to pinch myself now when I think about it. I still have to take it a week at a time though and see if we can maybe get there.

“I was here last year for the Karen Masters, a Sunshine Tour event, and it is a lovely little golf course which is old school and very strategic. You will probably find the guys are going to make a bunch of birdies, and I am looking forward to this week.

“I don’t know how it [winning back-to-back twice] worked out like that. I have been playing really consistent golf and have managed to put myself into position on several Sundays then managed to get it right.

“Hopefully we can put three rounds together again and then go out and make some birdies on Sunday to be in contention again.”

Also in the field this week is the triumphant 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn, who returns to Nairobi for the first time in 24 years since finishing as a runner-up in the 1995 edition of the long-running event  – which celebrates its 51st anniversary by hosting a European Tour tournament for the first time.

The captain of Europe’s record Ryder Cup winning team against America at Le Paris National in September said “I have really good memories of Kenya.

“It is very different coming back now as I’m a lot older, and a lot more has happened, but I have good memories from coming here in 1995 as a 24-year-old.

“I always felt like I wanted to come back, and now there was an opportunity for me to do so, so it’s great to be here. I am really looking forward to the week.

“As a Dane it is also really interesting coming here because of the name of Karen Country Club and it’s heritage and association with Karen Blixen.

“When I grew up in Denmark I went to see the Karen Blixen museum in Copenhagen, and there has always been a relationship between Danes and this place – which is quite interesting.

“It’s not something that a lot of people think about but for us when we come here we definitely feel a connection with the place.

“Kenya has so much to offer and although the main focus is playing in the golf tournament, I am trying to take in a bit more of what this place has to offer.”

Three of the last four Kenya Open champions all return to the Kenyan capital – South Africa’s Haydn Porteous, Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg and Italy’s Lorenzo Gagli.

Porteous said: “Coming back to the place where I had my first win as a professional means I have lots of sweet memories. I feel at home being back in Africa.

“There’s the same altitude, the same grass and hopefully we’ll have the same result this week.

“It was important for me to not only win as a professional, but to also win against some of Europe’s best on the Challenge Tour.

“I feel that I grew a lot as a player after that and it gave me the confidence to move on to the European Tour – I would credit that victory with helping me to become a multiple winner on the European Tour.”

Gagli will look to defend the title he lifted at neighbouring Muthaiga Golf Club 12 months ago, when the event was part of the European Challenge Tour’s International Schedule.

The Italian said: “It’s amazing to come back to Kenya. I have a lot of good memories from last year so I’m really excited to play here again.

“The prize giving was really fun last year, there was a lot of people and the president of Kenya, it was really special to be there.

“I love Kenya and Africa. The people are amazing here.”

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Justin Harding’s final round 66 was enough to give the South African victory in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, at Doha Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JUSTIN Harding became the fifth South African to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters as he secured his first European Tour title by two strokes.

The 33-year-old was one of 15 golfers who started the day three strokes behind 54-hole leader Oliver Wilson at Doha Golf Club.

But he made a fast start to the day with three birdies on his first four holes.

Harding then dropped two strokes after bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes, losing ground on clubhouse leader Jinho Choi, who set the early target of 11-under par after a blistering eight-under round of 64.

The South African quickly made amends after the turn with birdies on the 10th and 12^th holes as he moved back to 10-under.

He then birdied three of his last four holes, including consecutive gains on the 17th and 18th, to sign for a six-under 66 and a 13-under  total.

With 15 competitors still to finish their rounds, Harding faced an anxious wait of almost an hour – but none of them were able to match the South African as he finished ahead of a European Tour-record nine golfers who shared second place on 11-under.

Harding joins Ernie Els, Darren Fichardt, Retief Goosen and Branden Grace as South African winners of the Mother of Pearl trophy.

A delighted Harding said: “It’s fantastic. It’s still sinking in. I didn’t quite think it was enough, I thought there might be a play-off but I’m happy to get over the line eventually.

“I’ve been knocking on the door a little recently. It’s rewarding seeing the hard graft and change in mindset – seeing what’s involved and what’s going on. I’m really happy.

“I had to stay patient. I got off to a good start, made a couple of birdies and lost my head around the turn.

“My caddie Alan said we’re still in it and to make a couple on the back. I managed to keep myself in it and made a couple.

“I birdied 17 and 18, which was huge. I didn’t think 13 was clear, I thought there would be a play-off with how scores were looking on the back nine, but I’m happy to get over the line.”

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