Johannesburg – George Coetzee came up one shot short of a playoff at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters European Tour event in Doha on Saturday.
Coetzee, along with Spaniard Sergio Garcia finished on a 271 total 17 under for the week, but an eagle at the last from Englishman Chris Wood gave him the win on 18 under.
Coetzee fired a final round seven under 65 to charge up the leaderboard and during the day overtake a stumbling Wood.
Coetzee is still in search of his first victory on Tour, but a win looks ever closer for the 26-year-old.
Coetzee made his first birdie of the day on the par four second, but followed with bogey at the third.
A faultless run of bogey-free golf followed, with birdies coming at the sixth, eighth and ninth to make the turn in three under 33.
His back nine started with a bang on the par five 10th where he made eagle three.
Coetzee churned out five pars in a row after the eagle, but a birdie, par, birdie finish meant he posted the 17 under total in the clubhouse.
Coetzee averaged 307 yards off the tee in the final round and hit 14 of 18 greens.
Coetzee's putting was behind his final round charge, as he needed just 22 strokes on the greens on his way to his 65.
Fellow South African Branden Grace was five shots behind Coetzee in a tie for sixth, on 12 under par courtesy of a fourth round 71.
Thomas Aiken and Jbe' Kruger were the next best South Africans on nine under in a share of 22nd.
SA No 1 Louis Oosthuizen settled for a 34th place finish on eight under. – Sapa