Spain’s Alvaro Quiros undertook an 11,000 kilometer (6,800 mile) round trip home for nasal surgery to then record his lowest round in 16 months thanks to a fifth hole-in-one of his career on the final day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Quiros, who turned 31 on January 21st, found the bottom of the cup with an 8-iron at the par three, 172 meter (188 yards) fourth hole on route to an eight under par 64 and the clubhouse lead at 12-under on the Emirates Course.
It is the second Tour ace on the same course for the affable Callaway staff player after a hole-in-one on the last day in capturing the 2011 Dubai Desert Classic.
Alvaro Quiros with 13-year old Tom Roberts from Manchester who was acting as official scorer in the Spaniard’s final day group at the 2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Unfortunately, there was no prize on the hole and just the honour on the next tee.
“It’s my fifth hole-in-one with the first at the 12th hole at The Belfry, the second at the third hole in Wales, the third at the 12th in Abu Dhabi and the fourth at the 11th hole when I won here in 2011,” said Quiros.
“But it’s disgusting as I have never won a prize, very disgusting (laughing) but then the best prize today was to shoot a 64.
“Anthony Wall was hitting before me and we saw the ball land a meter away from the hole and when I hit my shot, a 150 meter three-quarter 8-iron, we saw the ball pitch but didn’t see the ball.
“Because there was no people around, given we were out early this morning, and also the sun was into our faces we didn’t know it was in the hole until I walked onto the green.
“That’s what happens when you don’t play that good the first three rounds as they put your out early (smiling), so there was no people to clap.
“But the hole-in-one brought back good memories of my hole-in-one in winning here four years ago.”
However there was one person who was there when Quiros plucked the ball from the cup and that was 13-year old Manchester lad, Tom Roberts who was the official scorer walking with the group.
And Tom was lucky the recipient after the round of Quiros’ ball while the very popular golfer also autographed a glove for the him.
A week ago, Quiros bravely battled continuing nose bleeds in sharing 23rd place in the Qatar Masters, and an event he won in 2009, and was observed with tissue paper in his nostrils and also a small clamp-like device over the bridge of his nose
“I had to fly back from Qatar to Spain on Saturday night after the event and I had nasal surgery on Sunday, and I left Spain on Tuesday and arrived here in Dubai Tuesday afternoon.
“I was just struggling to breathe properly and that’s why my nose was bleeding so much.
“I am still having a lot of liquid coming out of my nose but the bleeding has stopped.”
However Quiros, who is currently ranked a lowly 248th in the world after a career high of being ranked 21st this time three years ago, is now headed to Malaysia with renewed enthusiasm for the game.
“This is my lowest score in maybe 15 months since I played the 2013 KLM Open so I am now excited to get back to playing the golf I know I can play,” he said.
