Kaymer off to a flyer

The Desert Swing kicked off in style in the UAE when Germany's Martin Kaymer made a birdie on the last to edge out Englishman Ian Poulter by a shot in a thrilling final round at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

Both men shot closing six-under-par rounds of 66, as overnight leader Kaymer held on to his narrow advantage.

It was a second Abu Dhabi title for the 25-year-old world number 14, who won here in 2008 and was runner-up last year. Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy - tied second with Poulter after round three - had a 67 to finish third. Irish Open champion Shane Lowry posted his best finish on the European Tour since turning professional, with his bogey-free 67 securing fourth.

Poulter and Kaymer were locked together on 20-under, with the chasing McIlroy just a shot back, when they teed off at the par five last. Kaymer hit the best drive and was able to reach the green in two, but Poulter and McIlroy misfired off the tee and were forced to lay up.

Neither was able to chip close and in the end had to settle for pars - Poulter missing a 20-footer that would have earned a play-off - while Kaymer's two-putt closing birdie took him to 21-under par - the same finishing mark as when he last won the event two years ago.

That was a first European Tour title for the man from Dusseldorf and he now has five. He has also now climbed into the world's top 10 for the first time, a great start to the year for the vastly talented German.

Kaymer is a huge talent. He stated after winning that his goal for every year is to win two tournaments on the European Tour. He did it in 2008 and 2009 and is well on the way already to achieving it again in 2010. Another of his main goals is to play the Ryder Cup this year and along with McIlroy and Poulter, I think he will make up part of a very strong European team at Celtic Manor.

This week we move on to Qatar, and after being edged out by big-hitting Alvaro Quiros just 12 months ago, former champion Henrik Stenson will again be on the hunt for a Doha double at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.

The world number seven and 2006 champion has joined a powerful line-up for the $2.5 million tournament and will be one of the red hot favourites this week thanks to a recent track record in Qatar that has few equals.

Since missing the cut in 2004, the super Swede has proved he has the game to tame the 7,388-yard desert course with a victory, three runner-up spots and a seventh place finish in his last five appearances.

After missing out on a second Qatari title, the 33-year-old won the biggest title of his career at the 2009 Players' Championship at the notorious TPC Sawgrass. He also enjoyed six top tens en route to finishing 18th in the inaugural Race to Dubai.

Paul Casey will be looking to put his recent injury woes behind him when he tees up this week. The 32-year-old Englishman will have mixed feelings about 2009 after a rib injury forced him to miss almost half of a season that had promised so much after three global wins that elevated him to a career-high position of world number three.

The Doha Golf Club course provides the toughest test out of the three Desert Swing venues and a star-studded field including American veteran Kenny Perry, crowd favourite Camilo Villegas and, after a poor week in Abu Dhabi, Lee Westwood, the European number one, will be hoping to throw off some early season rust with a strong showing.

The battle for the Pearl Trophy will certainly be a keenly fought affair before the anchor leg of the Desert Swing is taken on by the Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club next week.