Monday, November 11, 2013

Turkish Airlines Open: Victor Dubuisson overwhelmed after dramatic victory in Antalya

Victor Dubuisson: First European Tour win

Victor Dubuisson was in a daze after securing his first European Tour win with victory at the Turkish Airlines Open.
The Frenchman lost his five-shot overnight lead on a dramatic final day in Antalya but fought back with three birdies in the last four holes to seal victory by two strokes.
"I wanted to cry there on the 18th green," he said after being doused with champagne by a posse of his fellow French players.

"I don't really know what's happening right now. I was so busy concentrating on my game that it hasn't sunk in that I've won such a big event. I'm just so happy." 
Victor Dubuisson
"I don't really know what's happening right now. I was so busy concentrating on my game that it hasn't sunk in that I've won such a big event. I'm just so happy."
Dubuisson started his round with nine straight pars to stay in front but when the 23-year-old bogeyed 14 he suddenly found himself in a tie after Jamie Donaldson scored a hole-in-one at the 16th. Shortly after Justin Rose birdied the same hole to make it a three-way share on 21-under.
"The start was a little bit difficult for me today," said Dubuisson. "I wasn't playing too well and wasn't making any putts on the front nine.
"I was watching the leaderboard and seeing all the good players getting nearer to me. I spoke to my caddie and he just said, 'If we make one or two birdies at the end we'll be fine'."

Dubuisson: Two-shot win
And Dubuisson did just that, tapping in at the short par-four 15th to regain the lead and then closing out victory with birdies at 17 and 18.

Hole-in-one

Runner-up Donaldson, who received one million air miles from the tournament sponsor after holing his tee-shot at 16 with a seven-iron, said: "It's mad, it's weird, when it goes in. You hit it right down the flag and you're hoping in the air that it's going to be close.
"When it lands and vanishes it's like, 'Where's that gone?'. The fact you get something extra for it as well, is nice," added the Welshman who moved up to fifth in the Race To Dubai standings.
Rose's share for third place with Tiger Woods lifted him to second spot in the Race To Dubai - 213,000 Euros behind leader Henrik Stenson, who finished tied seventh in Turkey.
"I've gained some ground for sure and it's nice to be able to control your fate next week," said Rose. "The exact scenario I'm looking for is to go to Dubai and win."
As for world number one Woods, who made front page news earlier in the week when hitting balls off the iconic Bosphorus Bridge, he said it was simply a case of not racking up enough birdies.
"On a golf course like this where you have to make so many birdies, I just didn't make enough," said the 14-time major winner.
"You just had to be so aggressive all of the time and that is reflected by how many guys made runs of four or five birdies in a row."

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