Doak rallies in Russia

Published on 10/09/2012 03:55

Chris Doak battled back after two early bogeys to card a two-under-par final round of 70 and finish in tied fourth place at the M2M Russian Challenge Cup, and the Greenock man said he is confident mood ahead of the Kazakhstan Open next week.

Doak, 35, had a poor start to his final round at the Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club, outside Moscow, with bogeys at the second and fifth holes.

But thereafter he flourished with a birdie at the seventh and an eagle at the par-5 eighth hole. A birdie at the tenth moved him to five-under-par for the tournament and seven pars on the way kept him high on the leaderboard.

“I just got off to a rubbish start,” said the 35 year old. “The sixth hole I had a good up and down from the bunker and then had a birdie and a wee bonus eagle on the eighth. From there on I played really well.

Alexandre Kaleka of France claimed the title, his second on the European Challenge Tour, as his two-under-par round of 70 was enough to overcome Italian Alessandro Tadini.