8 Doral-Eastern Open

Looks like Round 2 posed a few problems for a few of the 'guest' players - but not Mark Allison who carded another 69 to become our joint leader at the halfway mark with PGA Tour professional Gibby Gilbert. Mark Lipping consolidated his standing with an even par 72 and is two strokes adrift of the leaders, while Ian McKinley stated he couldn't have played any better after walking off the 18th green with a 73 on his scorecard. Bob Fletcher fought a losing battle and ended up with a 76 to leave him six shots off the pace, and we won't dwell on Michael Thorne's round today, just to say that the conditions got the better of him. One or two scores still to come in but it promises to be a fascinating weekend...

GIBBY GILBERT, WHO IS LOOKING FOR HIS FIRST EVER PGA TOUR VICTORY...

Well, what an exciting end to a tough week!! And we had the first tie of the season for first place!! And that meant a play-off! As in The Masters tournament at Augusta, it was decided to use hole scores from Hole 10 from the final day's play in a sudden death decider. A full report on the play-off is below, as well as the final leaderboard.

It was a good week for the 'guest' players as all but one finished in the top 10. Mark Lipping managed to make up the two-stroke deficit that existed at the start of the round to tie Mark Allison for the top spot, while Ian McKinley's final round 65, the best score of the week, rewarded him with third place, just two shots adrift. Juan Aetee claimed fifth position in spite of a disappointing last day 73, while Bob Fletcher earned himself a seventh place finish with a 68, thereby ending the week the same way he'd started it. Newcomer Michael Thorne deserves credit for finishing the tourney and we hope to see him at Bay Hill next week. Now for the play-off...

1st Extra Hole (10th)
For the purposes of this Mark Allison will be referred to as the 'Panda' and Mark Lipping the 'Estonian'. Both players found the fairway with drives in excess of 300 yards, and both also found the fairway with their second shots. The Panda played first and his 78-yard pitch looked destined to find the cup, but it agonisingly lipped out to leave a far from easy birdie putt. The Estonian's pitch was misjudged and it rolled off the green. His subsequent 12-yard chip left a stone-dead par putt, so now the Panda had a chance to seize the win, but he could also only manage a par. On to the next hole...

2nd Extra Hole (11th)
Again the two drives found the short grass, but then both approach shots overshot the green - you could almost smell the adrenalin!! Both chipped on and sank their putts to halve another hole...

3rd Extra Hole (12th)
The Estonian's drive on this par 5 was huge and, although the hole measured 600 yards or more, it was conceivable that he might be able to reach the green in two. Maybe that thought had entered the Panda's mind and maybe he tried to put a little more into his drive, but he only succeeded in steering it into a left fairway trap. His second wasn't much better, finding another bunker on the right of the fairway. The door was open and the Estonian did what needed to be done, sending his second shot soaring towards the green, watching it pitch short then roll up towards the pin to leave a 5-footer for eagle - and the title, if the Panda didn't hole out with his third from the bunker. Unfortunately he left his ball well short of the cup, and now faced a 32-footer for birdie. He stepped up, struck the ball firmly, and the crowd erupted as it disappeared into the cup for an unlikely, but vitally important, birdie. Now it was all down to the Estonian. Could he handle the pressure suddenly exerted by the Panda's monumental putt?! He examined the line closely, addressed the ball and swung his putter... was it going to reach?! YES, it trickled into the hole for a superb eagle and the Doral-Eastern Open title!! WELL DONE MARK LIPPING!!! And commiserations to Mark Allison, who is still waiting to grab his first trophy of the season...