January 21, 2014: Doha Golf Club is all set to host 17th edition of the European Tour’s Commercialbank Qatar Masters on Wednesday. As the tour’s desert swing moves to Qatar from Abu Dhabi,three Indians, Jeev Milkha Singh, Shi Kapur and Gaganjeet Bhullar will try to make their mark at the US $ 2.5 million event.
Chris Wood will get his title defence under way at 0735 from the tenth tee alongside Miguel Angel Jiménez and Darren Clarke, who plays his 500th event this week.
Just ten minutes after that esteemed trio is 2013 Race to Dubai Number One and third ranked player in the world, Henrik Stenson, who will have seven time Tour winner Luke Donald and US PGA Champion Jason Dufner for company.
Seasoned Indian Jeev Milkha Singh will tee at 06:55 with American professional Brooks Koepka and Danish golfer Morten Madsen.
Just an hour later Gaganjeet Bhullar, who is playing his second European Tour even in his first full season on the tour, will try to better his Abu Dhabi performance as he tees along with Thai Kiradech Aphinbarnat and two time major winner, Spain’s Jose Maria Olzabal.
Shiv Kapur will tee at 11:55 with Alexander Levy of France and Paraguyan professional Zanotti Fabrizio.
Indian trio played last weekend at Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf championship, will try to better their records in this second in line European Tour event of 2014.
Ten of the World’s Top 50 players are in action at Doha Golf Club, with the strong international field including eight Major Champions.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, the World Number Three and winner in Qatar eight years ago, will be targeting a quick return to the kind of form that resulted in him being crowned The 2013 Race to Dubai champion. He would not like to miss the cut halfway like last week.
Other Challengers at the event will be World Number 11 Sergio Garcia, former World Number Ones Luke Donald, Ernie Els and Martin Kaymer, and reigning US PGA Champion Jason Dufner, who makes his second appearance in the tournament after finishing tied ninth 12 months ago.
Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley will look to continue his fine form of last week in Abu Dhabi, also from the tenth, at 0715. He has been paired with Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who likes it in the desert having won in Dubai in 2011 and finished in a tie for fourth last week, as well as next week’s defending champion, Stephen Gallacher.
