ALVARO QUIROS claimed the biggest scalps of his career, Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood included, to win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic – and a hole-in-one helped him do it.
The big-hitting Spaniard aced the 161-yard 11th with a “three-quarter wedge”, but still had it all to do when he trailed Dane Anders Hansen by a stroke entering the closing stretch.
Then came a 12-foot birdie putt at the 16th before two pars gave Quiros his fifth European Tour title after Hansen was unable to repair the damage of a bogey on the short 15th.
“It was the perfect shot,” said the 28-year-old of his ace. “Once a year it happens.”
Quiros, runner-up to Thomas Bjorn in Qatar last week, overcame a triple bogey on the eighth – his ball was stuck up a tree there – and a right-arm strain to fire a four-under-par 68 and win by one at 11-under from Hansen and James Kingston.
Quiros added: “It was like the last piece of a happy birthday cake.”
