Dutchman Joost Luiten got the better of Chris Wood in a final-day battle at the inaugural NBO Oman Open.
Al Mouj Golf has played host to some dramatic scenes on the Challenge Tour, hosting the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, and did not disappoint on its European Tour debut. Perfect conditions greeted the players for the fourth day in a row, with Luiten going out in the final group and holding a share of the overnight lead.
There were ten players within four shots of the lead as the final group reached the turn, but it turned into a straight shootout between Luiten and Wood on the back nine, with the experienced duo going toe-to-toe in the desert.
But it was the experienced Dutchman who prevailed, carding a 68 to get to 16 under and finish two shots ahead of his English rival. It was Luiten’s first victory since he won the KLM Open in 2016.
“This is why you play golf, to hold trophies,” said Luiten, whose first win since the 2016 KLM Open earned him a spot in next month’s WGC-Mexico Championship. “It’s been a great week. It’s always tough to win out here, all these guys are so good and they keep putting pressure on you. Down the stretch I hit some nice shots, I made some nice putts and it was a nice battle with my friend Woody. I need to win another couple to get into the Ryder Cup team, but it’s a great start to the year for me.”
For Wood, the runners-up finish represented a welcome return to form after he had missed his first three cuts of the season. It moved him up to 90th in the world rankings, although still some way below the career high of 22nd that he achieved after winning the BMW PGA Championship in 2016.