Qatar winner Karlsson ends title drought

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DOHA // Sweden's Robert Karlsson wins for the first time in 16 months after capturing the Qatar Masters title. The Ryder Cup player, 40, shot a closing seven-under-par 65 for a 15-under tally of 273 to finish three ahead of the defending champion Alvaro Quiros of Spain (67). The Briton Lee Westwood, playing alongside Karlsson, saw his chance of victory vanish when he three-putted the par-four 16th for bogey.

Westwood eventually carded a 70 to share third place on 11-under with Australia's Brett Rumford (69). After becoming the first Swedish player to be named European No 1 in 2008, Karlsson missed four months of the European Tour last year after suffering from blurred vision caused by fluid behind the retina in his left eye. After recording his 10th professional victory, his first since the Dunhill Links Championship in 2008, Karlsson said: "It was a tough time coming back. I had a couple of good finishes at the end of last year with Henrik (Stenson) at the World Cup and with a second in Japan, but it is fantastic to be back now.

"I am really happy to be back playing well, it is the first time I have played really well for a long time and the way I finished off today was very satisfying." Oliver Wilson (71) finished with a hat-trick of birdies to share fifth at eight-under-par alongside the joint overnight leaders Bradley Dredge (74) and Paul Casey (74). Thomas Bjorn carded his only sub-70 round of the week as a 69 secured eighth place at seven-under-par with Peter Lawrie (69), Ricardo Gonzalez (67), Niclas Fasth (71), the 2007 champion Retief Goosen (72) and Camilo Villegas (70) rounding out the top 10, nine shots off the pace.

* Agencies