Välimäki beats Campillo in a playoff to win Qatar Masters

DOHA, Qatar — Sami Välimäki emerged victorious in a playoff against Jorge Campillo to clinch the Qatar Masters title on Sunday, earning his second career triumph on the DP World Tour.

Starting the final round just one stroke behind leader Campillo, Välimäki made a remarkable comeback on the back nine to take the lead with a birdie on the par-three 17th. However, Campillo responded with a birdie on the par-five 18th, leveling the playing field and forcing a playoff. Välimäki finished the round with an impressive score of 3 under, while Campillo managed to stay 2 under.

This win in the Qatar Masters marks Välimäki’s second victory on the DP World Tour, and his first since claiming the Oman Open title in 2020. In the playoff, Campillo could only manage a par on the first hole, while Välimäki delivered a birdie to secure his long-awaited win. Interestingly, his previous win in the Oman Open also came through a playoff. Notably, this is the 11th time a Finnish golfer has triumphed on the DP World Tour, with the last victory being Kalle Samooja’s win at the Porsche European Open in June 2022.

“It’s difficult to find the right words. It has been a challenging journey, and this victory feels absolutely amazing,” expressed Välimäki. “I have put in a tremendous amount of hard work, and it feels like I have deserved this win multiple times before. Therefore, it is an incredibly rewarding feeling.”

Campillo, who had previously won the Qatar Masters in 2020, had his sights set on securing the title once again.

Scott Jamieson and Nacho Elvira finished tied for third place, just two shots behind the leaders with a score of 16 under par.