Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship: final day

Gary Stalks receives the Falcon Trophy. Credit: Gerry Images

(Image credit: Francois Nel)

published 18 January 2015

Gary Stal triumphs as Martin Kaymer throws away a 10-shot lead with 13 holes to go

Unheralded Gary Stal, who is ranked 357th in the world, came from eight shots back to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, with a 19 under par score. It was his 41st tour event and his previous best tour finish had been a tie for 5th.

“I don't really know how to put it into words,” Kaymer said. “It was very, very surprising today. I started off well and hit a couple bad tee shots and cost me double-bogey and a triple-bogey. Twice I missed the grass and I was in a bush – I had to drop it in the sand. I missed a lot of putts today, and therefore, was very difficult for me to make birdies.”

Rory McIlroy could have forced a play-off had he holed out on 18 from a greenside bunker, and he darn nearly did. Instead McIlroy recorded his fourth second place in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, an event he has yet to win. He has come second in his last three European Tour events. He was again excellent from tee to green - making 17 greens in regulation - but his putting let him down, although he admitted it improved slightly when he got his caddie, JP Fitzgerald, to help him read his putts.

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Contributing Writer Roderick is the author of the critically acclaimed comic golf novel, Summer At Tangents. Golf courses and travel are Roderick’s particular interests. He writes travel articles and general features for the magazine, travel supplement and website. He also compiles the magazine's crossword. He is a member of Trevose Golf & Country Club and has played golf in around two dozen countries. Cricket is his other main sporting love. He is also the author of five non-fiction books, four of which are still in print: The Novel Life of PG Wodehouse; The Don: Beyond Boundaries; Wally Hammond: Gentleman & Player and England’s Greatest Post-War All Rounder.