OOLYMPICSLYMPICS | Page 4 NNBABA | Page 5 IOC stands Crowder fi rm on Tokyo sparks Miami Games despite as Giannis and virus scare Bucks downed Wednesday, March 4, 2020 CRICKET Rajab 9, 1441 AH Tamim shines as GULF TIMES Bangladesh edge past Zimbabwe SPORT Page 3 European Tour tournament director Mikael Ericsson (second from left), Commercial Bank’s EGM, Chief Marketing Off icer Hussein al-Abdulla (fifth from left) and off icials of the Qatar Golf Association pose after the off icial Commercial Bank Qatar Masters press conference at the Education City Golf Club yesterday. At bottom, a view of the Education City Golf Club course with the Education City World Cup 2022 stadium in the background. PICTURE: Jayaram GOLF Strong fi eld sets the stage for thrilling action at ECGC ‘It’s a great course, but it will be a tough task for the players this week as it will be pretty windy on the first day and we will make it more challenging with tough pin placements and faster greens’ Valimaki eager to match By Yash Mudgal his Oman performance Doha By Yash Mudgal Doha he 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters has ami Valimaki is hop- an “exciting” fi eld in its ing to replicate his 23nd edition, with sev- Oman Open heroics in Teral past champions and many SQatar. upcoming stars lining up at the The 21-year-old Finn secured newest golf course on the Euro- his first European Tour title pean Tour, the Education City with his Oman Open triumph Golf Club (ECGC). on Sunday, coming out on top clubhouse target at 12-under. The 144-player fi eld at the in a three-hole play-off against Stone holed a 20-footer on the popular European Tour tour- South Africa’s Brandon Stone. last to get to 13 under but there nament is headed by two-time After his maiden title in Muscat, was more drama to come as major winner Martin Kaymer, Valimaki was busy with his pre- Valimaki holed from similar former Open champion and two- tournament routine at Doha’s range for his own closing gain time champion in Doha Paul brand new Education City Golf and a round of 70 to take the Lawrie, defending champion course yesterday. contest to extra holes. The duo Justin Harding from South Africa “It’s a very strong field here, halved the 18th in pars twice along with former champions Je- but I hope to match my Oman but when Stone sent his second unghun Wang from South Korea, performance in Doha,” said shot crashing into the stand on Spain’s Alvaro Quiros and South Valimaki, who was in the top the third trip and failed to get Korean Darren Fichardt. ten of the World Amateur Golf up and down, a par was enough “It’s a very exciting fi eld this for Qatar — which off ers a revo- Chief Marketing Offi cer, Hus- and universities in Doha to raise title sponsor is a solid indication Rankings in 2018 and turned to hand Valimaki victory. week. It’s a strong fi eld having a lutionary and holistic approach sein al-Abdulla said they have awareness on this sport amongst of the success of this event over professional following the com- Valimaki had a stunning 2019 lot of past winners with upcom- to growing the game. been supporting the tournament students. the years, and it is something we pletion of his military service in on the Pro Golf Tour, winning ing stars,” European Tour tour- Designed by two-time Mas- keeping Qatar National Vision “The main goal of this cam- are proud of,” said al-Abdulla. Finland. four times including three con- nament director Mikael Ericsson ters Champion Jose Maria Olaza- 2030 in mind. paign was to raise awareness Speaking on the occasion, Qa- Talking about winning his first secutive starts at the end of the said at a pre-event press confer- bal, the venue at Education City “We have been reaching out about this fascinating game and tar Golf Association president title, he said he had to brave season. The Oman Open win is ence yesterday. comprises of 33 holes split into to school students through our to educate the public in Qatar, in Hassan Nasser al-Naimi said it tough conditions and a strong Valimaki’s biggest in his young The $1.75mn event is being three courses; 18 holes, nine campaign. We have been sup- particular community members is a proud moment for Qatar that field. career; he was making just his held from March 5-8 for the fa- holes and six holes. The exciting porting Qatar National Vision aged between three and 25, in the event is being held at a new “It’s always hard to play and win sixth European Tour start. The mous Mother of Pearl Trophy at new venue expects to not only 2030, which basically aims to order to make them more famil- venue. on the European Tour. It was win jumps him to No 155 in the the new venue where the condi- challenge the European Tour spread sport and education. We iar with the game, its techniques “Qatar Golf Association and also a bit windy on the first day world. tions will be challenging. stars but to entertain local and have done a lot of education and values. We are pleased to an- Doha Golf Club are proud to host and Sunday afternoon,” he said. Talking about challenges in |“It’s a great course, but it international spectators with its awareness among the schools, nounce that we have succeeded the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar The Finn was outside the top Doha, he said: “It’s windy here will be a tough task for the play- unique views of the Doha sky- malls, social media,” said al-Ab- in educating around 9,000 stu- Masters at Education City Golf 100 after day one at Al Mouj as well, but it’s expected to ers this week as it will be pretty line and the 2022 Education City dulla. dents from several schools and Course. I would like to thank out Golf, but a stunning 64 in round get better on Saturday and windy on the fi rst day and we will World Cup Stadium. “Every year, Commercial universities in the country,” he title sponsors Commercial Bank three put him alongside Stone Sunday.” make it more challenging with The highly-anticipated event Bank tirelessly works to deliver said. for their continued sponsorship. in a six-way tie for the lead with “I have not seen any holes yet. tough pin placements and fi rmer, is organised by Qatar Golf As- the best golf experience for par- “This year marks the forty- Hope we will continue it here for 18 holes to play. In diff icult, I was around here and it looks faster greens,” Ericsson said. sociation (QGA), the Qatar ticipants and players, as well fi fth anniversary of the Com- the coming few years,” he said. breezy conditions, both Stone awesome. I’m eager to going The event has moved across Olympic Committee (QOC), as spectators and enthusiasts, mercial Bank, in addition to be- Two of Qatar’s most promis- and Valimaki had held the lead out and play,” Valimaki, who got the Qatari capital from Doha Golf Education City Golf Club and which is why we have organised ing the fi fteenth year of the bank ing players – Saleh al-Kaabi and on their own during the final his European Tour card after Club for the fi rst time in its 23- long-term title sponsor, Com- and scheduled in cooperation organising the Qatar Masters Ali al-Shehrani – will also rub day but it was Frenchman Adr- finishing tied eighth at Qualify- year history to Education City mercial Bank. with the Education City Golf tournament. The bank’s organi- shoulders with the elite of the ien Saddier who set the ing School last year, said. Golf Club — a landmark project Commercial Bank’s EGM, Club visits to various schools sation of this tournament as the European Tour during the event. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, March 4, 2020 GOLF FOCUS SPOTLIGHT German ace Kaymer the Wind could prove big one to watch factor in Commercial in Qatar Bank Qatar Masters The Education City Golf Club sits in the noticeable shadow of Education City Stadium, one of the host venues of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar artin Kaymer continued an impres- sive run in the desert with a top ten at last week’s Oman Open, and returns Mto Qatar for the fi rst time since 2014. The two-time major winners and former World No 1 is still without a victory worldwide since his triumph at the 2014 US Open Champi- onship, but he has now fi nished inside the top 20 in all four events in 2020 and has high expecta- tions for this year. “I was just going with the fl ow the last two or three years and took my game for granted a little bit,” he said in Oman last week. “I worked a lot on the short game over the winter and I also wanted to drive the ball further without screwing up my natural shot and that takes some planning and communicating with the coach. “I know I’m doing the right thing but I’ve just got be patient and let it happen. The expectations are quite high because you’re doing everything right and hitting 63 in a practice round but you still need to do that in a tournament so it’s just a matter of time.” Kaymer recorded a hole-in-one on the 13th hole during the second round at Al Mouj Golf, and ranked third in Strokes Gained: Approach for the week.