Quiros keeps nerve to claim Qatar win

Big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros won the Qatar Masters today after holding his nerve over a tense final round to edge out former champion Henrik Stenson and Louis Oosthuizen by three shots.

The talented 26-year-old Portugal Masters champion signed for a final-round three-under-par 69 to finish at 19-under-par.

The victory catapults Quiros into the world's top 30 to virtually guarantee his debut at the Masters at Augusta in April.

Stenson's 68 ensured a fifth straight top-seven finish at Doha Golf Club for the 2006 champion, but the Dubai-based Swede's three-putt bogey at the last allowed overnight leader and Abu Dhabi runner-up Oosthuizen to earn a share of second after a final round of 71.

Ireland's Damien McGrane carded a bogey-free five-under 67 to earn a hard-fought fourth at 13-under, while Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez's three birdies earned him a 69 and a share of fifth with the Netherlands' Maarten Lafeber (72).

A double-bogey at the 10th undermined Rory McIlroy's three pars as he finished three-under for the tournament to finish in a tie for 46th.

Gary Murphy was three further shots adrift after carding a disappointing one-over 73 for the second day running.

Inaugural Qatar champion Andrew Coltart (72) shared seventh with Simon Dyson (66), world number two Sergio Garcia (70), Thailand's Chapchai Nirat (70) and another Spaniard Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (69) at 11-under.

Stenson, last year's runner-up to Adam Scott, snatched the lead at 16-under with an eagle at the 10th, but Quiros and Oosthuizen - playing a group behind - responded with birdies of their own to leave all three tied through 11.

The momentum swung Quiros' way as he birdied the 12th and Oosthuizen dropped a shot to fall two off the pace before the Spaniard extended his lead as he converted from eight feet a hole later.

Stenson put pressure on with a birdie of his own at 15 to move within one at 17-under before Quiros wobbled as he dumped his three-wood approach from the rough into the water, which resulted in him holing a 15-foot putt just to save bogey and fall back into a tie with the experienced Stenson.

But Quiros found a response of his own with a fourth birdie of the week at the 16th before taking a two-stroke lead down the last with another at the par-three 17th.

Stenson had a chance to cut the lead and put pressure on the Spaniard but, after battling out of the desert off the tee, needed three putts to finish his round and a smiling Quiros strode onto the final green to claim a third European Tour title and move up to fourth place in the Race to Dubai.

Moments earlier, Oosthuizen had birdied the last to record a second successive runner-up finish, which sees him move up to fifth on the season money list - a place ahead of Stenson.