DiMarco secures first international win
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2006 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship | Wrap | 22 Jan 2006
Chris DiMarco today won his first golf tournament in nearly four years and his first European Tour event when he held off a determined and sustained challenge from Sweden’s Henrik Stenson to win the inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
DiMarco, who has been a regular runner-up on the USPGA Tour in between his last win in Phoenix in 2002 and this week, was clearly relieved to get the monkey off his back. He suggested later that making the twenty foot putt at the final green of last year’s President’s Cup to edge out Stuart Appleby and effectively win it for the US played a key role in today’s victory.
“That has given me a lot of confidence in these situations,” he said later.
He would also highlight the importance of winning internationally. This was his first appearance in a standalone European Tour event and judging by the way he appeared to enjoy the week, and the victory, it won’t be his last.
Today after starting the day one behind Stenson, DiMarco quickly found himself in the lead by two courtesy of a birdie, eagle start and although Stenson pushed him all the way the 37-year-old never relinquished the lead and he ran out the winner by one.
In between his last win in Phoenix and this week there have been seven runner-up placings including the playoff losses at the Masters (2005) and the PGA (2004) so perhaps DiMarco was beginning to think if his next win might ever eventuate. He was the fourth highest ranked player in this field behind Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and Colin Montgomerie but it might just be that when the rankings come out in 24 hours time that he is again inside the top ten in the world. He had been as high as seven not long after his playoff loss to Woods.
Today there were several others besides Stenson who appeared as if they might make it a tough home run for DiMarco but their challenges fell just short with Stenson eventually finishing second on his own one ahead of Sergio Garcia with Argentine, Ricardo Gonzalez, alone in fourth.
DiMarco gave credit to his outstanding iron play for his victory. “I hit my irons just great especially some key long irons.”
Perhaps the crucial shot of the day though would come at the 11th when, after Stenson had holed from the bunker for birdie, DiMarco followed him in with a good putt to stay one ahead of Stenson and two ahead of Miguel Angel Jimenez at that point. DiMarco made a great save at the 14th after a delightful lengthy bunker shot just when it appeared that there might be a two shot swing after Stenson had hit his approach to 12 feet. Stenson missed and the difference was still one in favour of DiMarco. That would become two at the 16th when DiMarco holed it from 22 feet for birdie. He did all he needed to do over the closing holes to hold off a determined and ever improving Stenson.
Garcia was outstanding from tee to green but could not match that form on the greens and although he kept coming and eventually finished two behind, his 32 putts in a round of 66 told the story. It was his second 66 of the weekend.
Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez was 5th ahead of Colin Montgomerie, who shared 6th with Indian golfer Jyoti Rhandawa who stormed home with a final round 65, the best of the day.
Three of the four Australians to play the event made the cut with Richard Green the best in 20th place, Marcus Fraser was 30th and Wade Ormsby 38th.
The European Tour heads further up the Gulf to Qatar for the Qatar Masters, which has again assembled a solid field including the defending champion Ernie Els along with Vijay Singh.
