Henrik Stenson and four fellow European Tour golfers edged Al Sadd youngsters 8-7 in a fun-filled football penalty shootout after Thursday’s second round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club.
Stenson and fellow Swede Alexander Noren, Spaniards Pablo Larrazabal and Rafa Cabrera-Bello, and towering Englishman Chris Wood each took two penalties.
Al Sadd’s towering goalkeeper Mohammed Jamal, 19, faced shots from both sets of players, including his teammates Hisham Mohammed (19), Ossama Mowlood (16) and Iss Al Arab Mowlood (12). The youngsters led 4-3 after the first round of penalties, before each of the golfers converted their second attempts to win by a goal.
Stenson’s victory in the South African Open last November was his seventh European Tour title, while he has also won twice in the US, competed in the 2006 and 2008 Ryder Cups, and tied for third in the 2008 and 2010 Open Championships. Noren, Larrazabal and Cabrera-Bello are also multiple winners on the European Tour.
The third and fourth rounds of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters will be held on Friday and Saturday. Wood finished the second round at seven-under, two shots behind the leaders, while Noren (six-under), Stenson (five-under) and Cabrera-Bello (one-under) will also compete this weekend.