South African Branden Grace became the first player to win back-to-back Commercial Bank Qatar Masters titles after plotting his way to a classy victory at Doha Golf Club.

The Lough Erne Resort is confident it will host the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open next year.

Michael Hoey and Paul McGinley missed the one under par cut by two shots as Paul Lawrie stormed into the halfway lead at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Michael Hoey carded his first bobey free round sunce last October’s British Masters when he opened with a four under 68 in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

South Africa's Branden Grace soared to a sixth European Tour victory as Peter Lawrie, Michael Hoey and Damien McGrane finished down the field in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane and Michael Hoey all lost ground as tour winners Branden Grace, Marc Warren and Bernd Wiesberger joined Emiliano Grillo at the top of the leaderboard on day three of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Peter Lawrie is hanging on to his sanity by his fingernails after a nightmare run that's cost him his tour card and more than few grey hairs. But after making just his ninth cut from his last 43 starts thanks to a second round 68 in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, his first thought was to acknowledge the support he's had from his friends during what's been 18 months of golfing hell.

A niggling wrist injury proved to be no deterrant as Damien McGrane birdied two of his last three holes to open with a four under 68 in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Sergio Garcia claimed his 11th European Tour title in dramatic fashion after a nail-biting play-off with Mikko Ilonen at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, writes the European Tour.

Michael Hoey and Simon Thornton struggled to 74s and fell eight strokes behind co-leaders Steve Webster and Rafael Cabrera Bello with a round to play in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

"Well that was just ........ I'll let you insert the missing word."

That was Shane Lowry's tweet after opening the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters with 76 that began with an eagle three and ended with a birdie. 

The rest, especially the homeward nine of 41 blows, was clearly forgettable for the Clara man, who hasn't played four satisfying rounds in the same event since he was third in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews last September. Even then, the final round left him feeling gutted as what could have been a huge win slipped through his fingers.

Darren Clarke has pulled out of the Qatar Masters because of injury and may have to wait until the Masters to make  his 500th European Tour appearance.