Quiros scores hole-in-one in Abu Dhabi Golf Championship

Abu Dhabi: Alvara Quiros, the Spanish pro who led the Gulf News team in Wednesday's Al Masaoud Pro Am, shot a hole-in-one on Saturday in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

Quiros, who made the cut for the third round with scores of 69 and 71 in the first two rounds on the par 72 National Course, aced hole number four in his third round.

Quiros scored the hole-in-one on the 12th hole with a seven iron from 193 yards.

However, he took seven shots for the par four 14th hole and with two more bogies before the hole-in-one effort, Quiros undid his good work for the round, which also included five birdies.

The Spaniard completed his third round with a two under par 70 and is six under par 210 after three rounds.

However, Quiros' effort earned him a win a week's stay – redeemable at any time - at the seven-star Emirates Palace Hotel, the Championship's Diamond sponsor.

"I hit it sweetly and it landed a foot and a half short of the pin," said Quiros. "I didn't see it disappear but I heard the crowd cheering and knew it had gone in. It's my second ace as a pro and the third of my career but this one was the best."

"I was fighting to be on the leader-board at the time and the hole in one pushed me up a little but I was disappointed to hit a triple bogey on the 13th," he said.