Omega Dubai Desert Classic
January 2015
Lee made golf headlines recently when he helped a swimmer in difficulties, to shore, while on holiday in Barbados. However, Lee has no plans to hang up the clubs in exchange for lycra and a telephone box, so this week he returned to Dubai for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
First he has a film shoot with Your Golf Travel with Darren Clarke.
He has only missed this event once (2002) since he turned professional in 1993. His best finishes in this event were 2nd in 1999, 2010 and 2012. He finished T5th when he last played here in 2013.
Lee had an 8.15 (GMT+ 4) tee time from the 10th hole on Thursday with Sergio Garcia and Gary Stal and got off to a fabulous start with a bogey-free, 7 under 65. He was tying for lead until Bernd Weisburger went 8-under and took sole lead.
"Iâm very relaxed, Iâm in a good frame of mind and my gameâs in good shape", Lee said. "Iâm rolling a few putts in, which was missing for a while before it came at the end of last year in Thailand. Iâve been working on it over the winter as well as my fitness and it felt good".
With a later tee-time of 12.35, Lee played from the 1st on Friday, adding a 4-under 68 to his scorecard. Now in T5th position, Lee is three strokes behind leader, Rory McIlroy on 11-under par.
Lee was out at 11.38 with Stephen Gallacher and Andy Sullivan on Saturday. Making birdies on 2 and 3, Lee blotted his card when he double-bogeyed the 9th. He birdied 10,made bogey at 12,picked up a shot at the next and ended the day nicely with birdies at the last two holes. 14 under par, Lee lies in sole 3rd place on the leaderboard.
"Played really solidly, probably one or two poor shots...penalised for it,especially on 9. Took six there. All in all, seeing it's my first week of the year, I'm really pleased where all aspects of my game are at".
And tomorrow? "The golf course is getting harder, the greens are getting firmer. They're getting a little bit shiny. There's a bit more breeze there today than there was yesterday and the first day and I believe there are similar conditions tomorrow. There's still a 64 or 65 out there but you've got to play well".
Morten Ãrum Madsen, Rory McIlroy and Lee were in the final group on Sunday, teeing off at 12.02.
Lee had birdies in three of the first five holes, then bogeyed the 6th. He again double bogeyed the 9th and so went out in par. He had a close birdie chance at 8 but it horseshoed out. He had an eagle try at 10 but it turned to the left, and secured a birdie to go back to 15-under. At 12, his tee shot went to the left into trees and he made bogey. He had to settle for par at 14 when his birdie attempt again horseshoed out.
He dropped another shot at 15 but birdied the last to finish with even par for the day and T9 position on 14 under par, which earned him â¬44,318 in prize money.
Rory McIlroy won the title on 22-under par.
