Did You Know - Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
•The 2013 winner, Chris Wood will try and create history by becoming the first player to hold onto the Mother of Pearl Trophy. The Englishman is one of three players to make the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters their first European Tour triumph. He followed: Andrew Coltart (1998) and Rolf Muntz (2000).
• Should the 1999 and 2012 champion, Paul Lawrie win again, the Scot would be the first player to win the title on three occasions.
• The strength of this year’s tournament is highlighted by the fact there are ten of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, eight Major Champions and no fewer than 75 European Tour winners competing.
• The 2011 Open Champion, Darren Clarke will be making his 500th official European Tour event in Doha. He will become the 25th player to achieve the feat and be the fourth Irishman to reach this milestone, following Eamonn Darcy (610), Des Smyth (594) and Paul McGinley (545).
• There are 18 players in the field who have won European Tour events in the Middle East. One of them is Ernie Els.The South African, winner in 2005, holds the record for most European Tour titles in the region, with four. He has three Omega Dubai Desert Classics to go with his 2005 victory in Qatar.
• Reigning US PGA Champion, Jason Dufner, will be making his second appearance in the tournament. He was tied ninth in 2013.Should he win he would be the first American to take the trophy. Since the tournament began in 1998, nine different countries have entered the winners’ circle. Scotland, South Africa and Sweden have the most wins with three apiece.
• The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters holds the European Tour record for the fewest number of shots between the halfway leaders and the cut mark – just five in 2004. The 36 leaders were on 138 (-6), whilst the cut fell at 143 (-1). This was matched in 2012 at the Sicilian Open.
