Cabrera-Bello pips Westwood in Dubai
Rafael Cabrera-Bello was the surprise winner of the Dubai Desert Classic after sinking a nerveless birdie on the 17th hole to end on 18 under par and beat Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher by one shot.
The unfancied Spaniard, 27, had started the day one stroke behind overnight leader Westwood, but made three birdies on the back nine to clinch his second European Tour title, belying his lowly world ranking of 119.
Westwood had teed off last along with Gallacher, 37, while Cabrera-Bello was one hole ahead.
The amiable Spaniard, who had shot a blistering nine-under 63 in the opening round, retook the lead on the final day with successive birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, but on the 13th Gallacher sank an eagle and Westwood a birdie to join him on 17 under.
The trio remained tied until Cabrera-Bello's decisive putt on 17. One hole earlier, the Spaniard had scrambled for par after shanking his tee shot into the trees, his ball ending in the sandy void between the fairways, while Westwood would rue a missed birdie chance on 16th, his nine-foot effort stopping short.
The world number three was also found wanting on the 17th, rolling a seven-foot birdie putt inches wide, while Cabrera-Bello was on the par-five 18th.
His final tee shot missed the fairway, but he reached the green edge for three and eventually putted for par.
That meant Westwood, 38, and Gallacher needed to make birdies on the final hole to force a play-off. Westwood's second shot left him just off the green, but he then played a clumsy chip that stopped 20 feet from the pin.
Now needing to putt to stay in the tournament, the Englishman's final effort drifted left, while Gallacher fluffed a 12-foot birdie chance, handing Cabrera-Bello the title.
He became the third Spaniard in a row to hold the title after Miguel Jimenez and Alvaro Quiros had triumphed in 2010 and 2011.
Westwood had started the day on 15 under, one shot ahead, while Ulsterman Rory McIlroy and Germany's Martin Kaymer, who sandwich him in the world rankings, were two strokes behind.
The two Britons had wanted tougher conditions to make the Majlis course bare its teeth following a birdie bonanza on the tranquil opening two days and they got their wish on the final round as swirling gusts of wind buffeted the fairways.
That made for a tougher day around the 7,344-yard course and the leaderboard saw little movement as the final round progressed.
Westwood rolled in a 35-foot eagle putt from the fairway on the second hole, but bogeyed the fifth after fading his tee shot into the rough to go into the back nine one shot ahead.
McIlroy, the leader after two rounds, was three over for the day after the front nine, picking up four birdies on the final nine holes to end on 14 under in joint fifth.
Kaymer struggled, shooting two over for the day to slip off the leaderboard.
Comment 3 - 22 of 22
20 and 21...I agree with some of what you say but in Majors I reckon it's that Vital Spark which the Major Winners have...Hard to Define...I go way back...Saw Jacklin play also Faldo and with both of them I could see that they had that ingredient.
4 & 16....Colin....I think you're being a bit harsh there mate. Things other than a spark of greatness go into winning a major. Just look at the last 3 seasons...Cabrera, Glover, Cink, Yang, Oosthuizen, Clarke, Bradley. You can't tell me that any of these have that spark surely? None of them is a better player than Westwood. Luck plays just as big a part. Lee must have thought the 2010 Masters was his until Phil's fantastic 2nd shot at the 13th during the final round. Brilliant though it was, and maybe that's the spark you're talking about, Phil was lucky that it pitched where it did otherwise the momentum could have been totally different. Having said all that, it's gonna be really difficult for Lee 'cos there's an amazing amount of talent out there, as proved by having 12 different major winners in the last 3 seasons. It gets harder by the tournament but I wouldn't write him off just yet though!
@ COLIN: I have always backed 'Lefty' and people used to tell me I was mad, until he started winning Majors! I will always back the Europeans regardless; you never know in this game (look at Darren Clarke last year).
Who is your money on to win the Majors then?
Bobby..Tell me Please Please that you DON'T WASTE MONEY BACKING... Lee and Luke and Ian and Paul for Majors
@16 COLIN; if people had your doom & gloom attitude they would most probably stay in bed all day. As I have mentioned before, try and look at your glass as being half full, and not as you presently do as being half empty.
However, if you can see into the future then please let me know so I don't waste my money on backing Lee Westwood and all the other players who have yet to win a Major; thanks & have a nice day :)
if Coetzee gets in the World Matchplay(almost certain to) 32 of the 64 players will be European Tour Members......Nice to see Mickleson playing at his best again, Tiger just can put that round together when hes under pressure at the moment....no doubt he ll win his season......but i doubt it will be a major
Bobby you need to get your Dark Glasses Off Mate..Lee has been trying for Years For A Major and always flops...Do You Not Watch Golf?????
@4 COLIN: your comment shows why you have always had an low IQ.
Piecrust I have to agree with you, TIGER really did not deliver when he needed to, Phil was fantastic and it was great to see him win on a course that means so much to him, TIGER and CURLY both not impressive in final round, one was all over the park and the other could not putt for nuts, that's the beauty of this game, it brings you to your knees when you least expect it, still the greatest game of all.
Hi Guys, very hard going today, the medal was cancelled because although our course was open the greens were rock hard. We played a fourball betterball stableford, my partner and I scored 42 points and came fourth. Just good to get out and have a game, rtz5 - you keep on about Rory falling apart, your friend Tiger just had a stinker at Pebbel Beach. Well done to Phil Mickelson.
Piecrust!! did you manage to break 70, I mean on the first nine? Bet you chopped around like a squirrel lost in the woods, how many times did you use your "TREE IRON" going green are we!
Dizzy.........rtz5 is a scots proddy. That's the problem, sectarianism rearing it's ugly head again. For rtz5 also read Well Hello!, mister b, Robert, franksalot47 and others. Total fruitcake to be ignored.
He's got more people in his head than Sybil!!.....A very entertaining day's golf all round. Well done Rafael, a very calm and collected performance. How did you do today Piecrust?
What's your deal rtz5? What's your problem with mcilroy? It can't be his Golf. he's obviously class. Did he snub you for an autograph? Do you have a crush on caroline Wozniacki? I know he has a stupid looking head but that's not a good enough reason.
rtz5 (Well Hello) you really are a muppet!!!!
Well Hello, Stop stealing my lines please, I would'nt go as far as that but I believe that the Europeans will maybe win one of the majors, glad to hear someone agrees with me.
Good for Cabrera Bello. Nice to see him win.
There is just no KILLER INSTINCT amongst these Europeans, it's going to be a very tough time for them on ourside of the pond, I'm am sure all my mates on here will agree with me, 2012 is not going to be a winning year for you guys, the majors are going to be spread amongst International players and USA, none this year from Continental Europe of GB & Ireland, the odds are fantastic and I am going DEEP on this one, I will prove you MUGS wrong after the US Open, what your predictions on the majors, com on say something you chickens!
Westwood showed why he has never Won a Major...Lacks that Spark of Greatness
I will try to ignore that insane post from rtz5 but its a little surprising this tournament ended like this .Westwood has been poor around the greens for most of his career and his chipping cost him again.He had a superb week putting until the last 2 must makes and they didnt even touch the hole.McIlroy is even more susprising shooting 1 under on the Weekend is nowhere good enough and those double bogeys have got to be cut out.Another mystery is Kaymer he played like us today and in the big picture a little worrying for European Fans.On top of that Harrington finished with 2 bogeys and that round killer double yesterday in America so its the Tiger and Phil show again with no mention of the poor old leader Wi because he is like a deer in the headlights but stay tuned
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