Sami Valimaki staged a stunning final-round comeback to claim the 2023 Qatar Masters title via a playoff against Jorge Campillo at Doha Golf Club.
Valimaki was trailing his Spanish rival for the majority of Sunday's play and only took the lead for the first time following a seven-foot birdie putt on the 71st hole of the week.
But after third-round leader Campillo forced extra holes courtesy of a birdie on the last, the Finn regained his composure admirably prior to sealing victory courtesy of a four on the re-run par-five.
It was the Finnish golfers second DP World Tour title and first in three-and-a-half years following his victory at the Oman Open in 2020. Success in Qatar also pushed Valimaki up to seventh in the Race to Dubai Rankings with only two events left in the season.
Speaking post-round, a highly-emotional Valimaki said: "It's unbelievable. It's hard to talk. It has been a long journey, and it feels great.
"The course, if I'm honest, it played quite tight today. I feel like I played nicely, but there were a couple of mistakes and you always get punished. The course set-up was really nice.
"The birdie on 17 - I thought I'd made putts on 15 and 16, but luckily I made that one."
Valimaki began the final day's play a shot behind Campillo - a winner at this event back in 2020 - but saw the gap doubled after just one hole via a birdie for the Spaniard.
The 25-year-old Finn bogeyed his sixth hole to fall to 14-under but immediately bounced back with consecutive birdies on seven and eight while Campillo moved to 18-under himself.
After the leading duo failed to take advantage of the two long par-fives around the turn, Valimaki moved to within a shot of Campillo when making birdie at the 12th. The man born in Nokia, Finland then pulled alongside the Spaniard with a momentum-inducing birdie on 13 from around 20 feet.
While Valimaki appeared to be in control, an errant tee shot from both he and Campillo on the 15th wrestled momentum back towards the latter. Campillo was able to hit the green with his second - allowing the Spanish golfer to make par - while Valimaki had to lay up on his way to bogey.
The tumultuous contest continued on the very next hole following a mistake from Campillo which saw him find the rocks off the tee. That poor drive ultimately led to a first bogey of the day as Valimaki scrapped his way to a par - a result which tied the pair on 17-under with two holes to play.
Valimaki landed a crucial blow on the par-three 17th when rolling his close-range putt in for birdie. And although Campillo battled back to force a playoff, Valimaki's pin-point approach into the first extra hole allowed the Finn a far easier putt and a chance to become Qatar Masters champion for 2023 - one he confidently took.
Asked why this win wins so much to him, Valimaki said: "Of course, because I work so hard. I feel like I've earned this a couple of times before but it hasn't gone my way - that's why it feels so amazing."
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Leaderboard
- -18 - VALIMAKI (Winner Via Playoff)
- -18 - CAMPILLO
- -16 - JAMIESON, ELVIRA
- -15 SMITH
Updates from
MORNING ALL
The leaders have just teed off and, at the first, it's overnight leader, Jorge Campillo, who has made the perfect start with a birdie, pushing his advantage to two strokes over Sami Valimaki.
PARS ALL ROUND
The final group of Campillo, Valimaki and MacIntyre all par the par 4 second safely, with a lot of the top 10 seemingly struggling to begin the final round here in Qatar. Currently, half the top 10 are over-par for the opening few holes, with only Campillo, Matt Wallace and Daniel Hillier under-par. It's still early days though...
LOW ROUNDS OUT THERE
Despite scores being a minimum on Sunday, there is some space for players to go low during the final round. Currently, Eddie Pepperell and Wil Besseling are in possession of the lowest rounds of the day, with both -4 through 10 and six holes respectively.
CAMPILLO HOLDING FIRM
It's been a very solid start from leader, Campillo, who has safely parred the second, third and fourth to stay at one-under for the round and 17-under for the tournament. He continues to lead by two shots from Valimaki, who does well to two-putt from 70-feet at the fourth.
Elsewhere, on the course, MacIntyre is still one-over-par for his round and, in the groups in front, it's Jordan Smith who is now just one of the few players under-par for the day, with a birdie at the sixth putting him five back of Campillo. Smith is currently in a big log jam at 12-under-par.
MIXED FORTUNES FOR CHASING PACK
It's as you were in the top three, with Campillo leading Valimaki (-15) and MacIntyre (-13).
VALIMAKI LOSES GROUND AS SMITH GAINS
Following a wayward approach that sailed to the far left side of the green, the Finn absolutely powers his first putt past the hole, and his return effort doesn't scare the hole either. Valimaki drops back to -14 while MacIntyre stays at -13 thanks to a par.
HILLIER IN THE DRINK
New Zealander Daniel Hillier dunks his ball in the drink on the par-three eighth, and his putt from the fringe - following a drop - skates by. He's moving in the wrong direction - now at -11.
ANOTHER HOLE TICKS BY FOR CHASERS
With Campillo in for par on seven, can MacIntyre find a birdie? The answer is no, but only just. The lefty's putt is inches wide.
FINAL THREE WITH BIRDIE LOOKS
Valimaki is closer, but it's a much faster putt. MacIntyre didn't love his tee shot, but he also has an uphill putt from the fringe closest to the water.
ELVIRA GETTING HOT
Nacho Elvira joins Jordan Smith in third via his second birdie in the past three holes. He has recovered from an early bogey to make the turn in 35.
But it is his compatriot who they're all chasing. Campillo still has both par fives to come and already holds a two-shot advantage...
CAMPILLO TWO AHEAD AT THE TURN
The leader rolls a perfectly-weighted birdie putt just a shade right of the hole, but it's no matter as Valimaki cannot capitalise after his approach from the rough left him too much to do coming back. The Finn cleans up to ensure the gap remains two with nine to play.
SMITH PILING ON THE PRESSURE
A fourth birdie of the day - and third in the past seven - from Smith pushes him up to -15. It is possible to go pretty low today, with a few players on -6 during their final round. Smith will need to do that, and hope for a slip from Campillo, if he is to taste victory.
FINAL-GROUP FRUSTRATION
On the mammoth par-five 10th, none of the three final-group members found the green with their third shots. MacIntyre's ball is on the stone wall up against the collar of grass 20 feet from the hole, while both Valimaki and Campillo face tricky pitch shots after watching their balls roll into a valley next to the green.
Eventually, the Scot opts to take a drop but misses with his birdie putt and has to make do with a par.
JAMIESON ON HIS WAY TO KEEPING HIS CARD
Scott Jamieson needed a top-25 finish this week to guarantee his card for next year, and he is well on his way to completing that task courtesy of a couple of recent birdies. The back nine is far more scoreable, and players like Jamieson are trying to make the most of that fact. Jamieson started this week 119th in the DP World Tour rankings, but is currently on track to finish 101st. Comfortably enough, given the 116 cut-off. He's 13-under with seven holes still to play.
JAMIESON FLYING
I mentioned Scott Jamieson is trying to keep his card. After three birdies in a row and having given himself a strong chance for a fourth, he's actually on his way to challenging for the title and maybe teeing it up at the DP World Tour Championship!
VALIMAKI WITHIN ONE
Sami Valimaki rolls in a birdie putt on 12 and moves to within one shot of Campillo, who can only make par. Valimaki is looking to secure his maiden PGA Tour card, calling it "a dream" if he were to do so.
MATCH-PLAY GOLF
They're tied at the top, Valimaki and Campillo, and they've got almost identical putts remaining on 14. Around 15 feet to go, up the hill.
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Valimaki punches his own putt comfortably left, and it's as you were with four to go...
LEADERS FEELING THE PRESSURE
As MacIntyre - free from the pressure of contending for the lead - finds the fairway on 15, table-toppers Campillo and Valimaki have mis-hit drives well out to the right on the lengthy par four. The Finn is in a far worse position as he's on the rocks, while Campillo's ball in entrenched in the thick rough - so that's not ideal either.
ADVANTAGE CAMPILLO
Campillo was 275 yards from the green, but he's blasted a hybrid out of the rough onto the sizeable dance floor. Valimaki is forced to lay up, and it's advantage Jorge prior to the third shots. MacIntyre also sends a fairway metal onto the green as he waits for Valimaki's approach.
VALIMAKI DROPS A SHOT
But Valimaki's poor tee shot is ultimately punished and he has to make do with a bogey. And at such a key time. He's back to -17.
TROUBLE FOR THE LEADER
Sami Valimaki might smell an opportunity here... Campillo's tee shot on the driveable par-four 16th has landed in the rocks and could be anywhere. The Finn is short of the green, but can get up and down from there to pile on the pressure. Could there even be a two-shot swing? It will all depend on where the Spaniard's ball has ended up...
CAMPILLO IN TROUBLE
The Spaniard's ball was in the rocks, short and left, and he's only just managed to bunt it out into the rough, leaving it short-sided and six feet away from the green. Getting up and down from there will be no easy task.
VALIMAKI MISSES CHANCE TO TIE CAMPILLO
The Finn sends a lovely putt towards the hole, but it just drifts left and he will settle for par. Valimaki loudly swears in Finnish, but the Sky Sports commentary team aren't aware of what he's just said, and I'm not willing to lose my job by telling you either. So you'll just have to use your imagination. But anyone who knows any Finnish will be in no doubt.
CAMPILLO DROPS FIRST SHOT OF THE DAY
Who wants to win this? They're both scoreable holes, so the chance is there. Go out and win it, one of you.
VALIMAKI TAKES THE LEAD
Oh, Jorge! What have you done?! Campillo leaves his on-line putt perilously close to the hole, but short! It's a tap-in par for the Spaniard.
JAMIESON AND ELVIRA END IN A TIE FOR THIRD
After Campillo bombs one down the centre of the 18th fairway and both Valimaki and MacIntyre find the right rough, up ahead, Scott Jamieson ends on 16-under due to missing his birdie putt. He's up to 79th on the Race to Dubai. Elvira pops a birdie putt in following a superb approach, and he ends in a tie for third with his Scottish playing partner.
PLAYOFF COULD BE LOOMING
MacIntyre's tee shot actually ended on the path, it went that far right. He properly banana-hooked it off the tee with his driver. The Ryder Cup star tries to lay back onto the fairway with an iron but his ball just clings onto the right rough much further down.
Campillo - forced to hit a wood given his scoreboard deficit - positively crunches his second shot into the heart of the green. It's a mammoth eagle chance, but Campillo has one all the same.
VALIMAKI OPENS THE DOOR WIDER FOR CAMPILLO
Valimaki's wedge shot into the green will not go down as anywhere near his best, and he has a mid-range birdie putt to contend with. The pendulum swings back Campillo's way once again...
CAMPILLO UNABLE TO SINK EAGLE CHANCE
The eagle putt doesn't drop from Campillo, but he has a relatively straightforward birdie putt to come. If I were a betting man, I'd say we might be playing extra holes very shortly...
QATAR MASTERS HEADS TO A PLAYOFF
Campillo nudges in for birdie on the 72nd hole, and the leaders are all square on 18-under.
BACK TO THE 18TH TEE
The players are making their way back up to the 18th tee for the playoff. We'll have three goes at 18 before switching to 17, if needs be.
BOTH PLAYERS IN CLOSE
Both forced to lay up, Campillo goes first out of the rough and sends his ball a little further down the fairway than where Valimaki's second ends up. But a really smart play by the Finn - leaving it further out - allows him to make his Spanish rival a bit more nervous via a stunning approach to eight feet.
THE WINNING MOMENT
The moment @sami_valimaki claimed his second Tour title 💪💪💪#CBQMasters pic.twitter.com/GdcPHjfUxMOctober 29, 2023