Watson bowled over by Dubai, wants to return

Dubai: American veteran Tom Watson admits he has been bowled over by Dubai.

The eight-time Major winner, playing in his first Omega Dubai Desert Classic, started slow but finished tied eighth alongside Dubai-based Swede Henrik Stenson and Gregory Bourdy of France with a six-under-282 total.

Watson said he had a great outing on the Majlis and that Dubai was a city better seen in person. "I've enjoyed it very much. It was a learning experience in Dubai," Watson, 60, said.

"To see this type of economy is spectacular — I had seen it on the internet. I had seen the pictures of the construction and the various things, the indoor ski slope. I hadn't seen the racetrack, but I visited it physically and saw that it was spectacular. Everybody I talk to, they have positive thoughts about how this is going to work out."

Watson was happy with his week, but said he hadn't done enough to get into contention.

"Yesterday, was a reprieve for that last shot [he double-bogeyed the 18th on Saturday]. I had not played the course before, but I'm pretty happy about the way I played.

Good omen

"I didn't drive the ball as well as I did the very first round here. I drove the ball very well, it was a good omen for the things that were going to come this week, but my driving just wasn't as good as it probably should have been to contend this week." Watson's top-10 finish makes him eligible for next week's Avantha Masters in New Delhi, India. But he plans to return and said: "I think I'm going to go in the opposite direction — West instead of going East."