Three weeks after wondering if he was past his best, Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen was on Sunday celebrating a dramatic victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and a place in the Open Championship.
Kjeldsen finished 103rd on the Race to Dubai last season, his lowest finish since his rookie year in 1998, and was languishing outside the top 100 again after his first 10 events of 2015.
But after starting work with new caddie Alastair Mathieson at the Spanish Open, Kjeldsen celebrated his 40th birthday by finishing ninth in Barcelona, followed that with a share of 18th in the BMW PGA Championship and on Sunday held his nerve to beat Bernd Wiesberger and Eddie Pepperell in a play-off to win a fourth European Tour title.
“Three weeks ago I was 112th in the Order of Merit and my game was not in good shape,” Kjeldsen said.
“With turning 40 you wonder was that it? Now I am standing here and it’s pretty remarkable really.
“Alastair, who had worked with Geoff Ogilvy for 12 years, including his US Open win, was so encouraging and said from the start ‘Soren, you should be doing much better and climbing the world rankings.’”
Kjeldsen took a two-shot lead into the final round and was one ahead with two holes remaining despite being four over par for the day as the players battled heavy showers and winds gusting up to 40mph at Royal County Down.
A three-putt bogey on the 17th left Kjeldsen needing to birdie the last to win, but after chipping from one side of the green off the other, he did well to get up and down for par and a closing 76 to join the play-off.
The players returned to the par-five 18th for sudden death and after finding the green in two and seeing his opponents fail to make birdie, Kjeldsen two-putted from 25 feet, although his birdie attempt did a full circuit of the hole before dropping.
“The last breath I took was on about the 14th,” added Kjeldsen, who reclaimed the lead with his only birdie of the day on the 12th.
“I have never been as nervous as this in the other tournaments I have won.
“I had decided not to look at leaderboards but once I started dropping shots I started looking because it gave me a little pleasure that I wasn’t the only one struggling because it was such a brutal day.”
Kjeldsen claimed one of the three places available in the Open Championship to players finishing in the top 10 who were not already exempt, with Pepperell and Tyrrell Hatton taking the others.
Pepperell had set the clubhouse target on two under after a remarkable bogey-free 69, with Wiesberger missing from eight feet for what would have been a winning birdie on the 18th in his closing 73.
Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello missed out on the play-off - and with it a place in the Open - after a bogey on the 18th, with Hatton alongside Cabrera-Bello on one under after a par on the last in a closing 74.
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United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
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Rating: 5/5
Playing records of the top 10 in 2017
How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season
1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)
2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)
3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)
4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)
5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)
6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)
7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)
8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)
9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)
10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)
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To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
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25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
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Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The bio:
Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.
Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.
Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.
Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
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October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
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February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
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March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
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Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
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Favourite holiday destination: Bali
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