There will be $2.5 million on the line when some of the best golfers in the world make their way to the Doha Golf Club in Doha, Qatar for this year’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters tournament. This event has come a long way since it was first established back in 1998 and the unique desert setting will only add to the intrigue and appeal once again this year for the next stop on the European Tour.
Event Details
Event: 2016 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Category: EPGA
Date: January 28th-31st
Location: Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar
The organizers for this event have worked hard to attract some of the bigger names in the sport and while the big three will not participate that doesn’t mean there won’t be some considerable talent at the latest stop in the European Tour’s swing through the Middle East.
Last Five Winners
2015 – Branden Grace
2014 – Sergio Garcia
2013 – Chris Wood
2012 – Paul Lawrie
2011 – Thomas Bjorn
What To Know About The Course
The Doha Golf Club is one of the toughest courses on the European Tour rotation with eight strategically placed lakes and a number of limestone formations designed to trick up the field. The good news is that while the rough is challenging here, it’s not as bad as it was in Abu Dhabi last week. The fact that the course sits in the Qatar desert doesn’t mean anything either as the lush and lengthy green fairways set it apart as a challenging par-72 course that will require plenty of patience along with talent to master.
The key here might be finding a golfer who can really rock it off the tee. Take a closer look at the players who rank 14th or better in Driving Distance. Branden Grace won last year to become the 10th golfer in 11 years to win this event while ranking 14th or better in that category. Another important statistic will be Greens in Regulation. Nine of the last 10 victors at the Qatar Masters were all players that ranked no lower than seventh in Greens in Regulation.
The Field
The field might not be as electric as the one set to compete at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour this week but there are still some big names competing for the big price and the fact that Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day will not compete in this event means that it is wide open for some strong value plays to contend for the victory. Branden Grace and Sergio Garcia are among the past winners that will compete again this year but they won’t have it easy with promising golfers like Chris Wood and Matt Fitzpatrick looking to make their marks.
A Good Matchup To Bet
Branden Grace over Sergio Garcia
There might not be a better pick on the board heading in to this tournament than the defending champion Grace, who has the elite Driving Distance, consistency and mental edge to absolutely dominate the field this weekend. Grace has covered the greens in regulation well and he is coming off a tie for fifth place in last week’s stacked field for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. Garcia has proven he can win this event in the past but Grace has the momentum on his side heading in to this year’s tournament and should have the edge among the +800 co-favorites to win the 2016 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Top-Five Prediction: Matthew Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick will look to pick up from where he left off a year ago when he registered the most top-10 finishes of any golfer on the European Tour as a rookie. He could be primed for another breakthrough performance after finishing tied for 26th in an absolutely stacked field at last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Fitzpatrick should have plenty of confidence after winning his first European Tour title last October and cracking the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking so look for his rise to continue with another strong showing at this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. A lot of money is going to Grace and Sergio Garcia, but this is a very competitive field, so don’t expect the 2014 or 2015 champ to get another win here.
Top 10 Players Odds To Win Qatar Masters
Sergio Garcia +815
Branden Grace +705
Thomas Pieters +1415
Matthew Fitzpatrick +2050
Louis Oosthuizen +2050
Bernd Wiesberger +2050
Chris Wood +2250
Thongchai Jaidee +3050
George Coetzee +2850
Joost Luiten +2850
