On Crufts weekend, followers of Scottish golf were hoping that it would be a case of every dog has its day for David Drysdale.
Unfortunately, the Scotsman’s bid for a first European Tour win in his 498th event on the circuit was dashed by Spain’s Jorge Campillo in a thrilling play-off at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Drysdale, a sturdy perennial of the European scene, had signed off with a level-par 71 for a 13-under tally to tie with Campillo at the top but the 44-year-old was thwarted at the fifth extra-hole as the Spaniard’s brilliant putting form proved decisive.
Before that sudden-death drama, though, Drysdale was left to rue the one that got away as he stood over a putt of 10-feet on the 72nd hole to win his maiden crown.
His effort just missed on the low side, however, and the two players would return to play the 18th a further five times in a prolonged, nail-nibbling play-off from which Campillo would eventually emerge triumphant.
Drysdale had arrived in Doha having missed the cut in four of his first seven events of the 2020 campaign. His best finish had been share of 36th in South Africa but his game clicked in Qatar as he manoeuvred himself into a title-challenging position.
He was still in the mix coming down the stretch although Campillo held a two shot lead with just two holes to play.
The 33-year-old made a hash of the 17th, however, and racked up a damaging double-bogey to open the door for Drysdale.
After his putt to win on the 18th stayed out, Drysdale seemed to have the advantage on the first extra-hole as Campillo found the sand but a raking birdie putt of 25-feet completed a fine salvage operation and Drysdale followed him in from six-feet.
Drysdale was in close again the next time the duo came down the 18th but Campillo trundled in a putt of 20-feet for another birdie to pile the pressure on and Drysdale held his nerve to make a birdie of his own.
It was an engaging, ding-dong battle and Drysdale was swinging it beautifully amid the tumult. The next two attempts down the 18th to find a winner brought a couple of pars but, in the fading light, Campillo struck a telling blow at the fifth time of asking.
Another cracking putt of around 20-feet gave him a birdie and, from just inside the Spaniard, Drysdale couldn’t convert his own birdie attempt. The wait for the Scot goes on. For Campillo, it was a second tour win in the space of a year having played 229 events before breaking his duck.
“I’m just so proud right now of the way I played in the play-off,” he said. “I hardly missed a shot and I was able to make some putts.
“I hit some good shots coming in in the middle of the round but you have to be patient. I knew I was going to make some putts. It was a tough win. David was hitting some great shots. Three birdies out of six on 18 to win is something to be proud of.”
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