Gary Stal joy as Martin Kaymer slides

Martin Kaymer admitted to being shocked after he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to hand world number 357 Gary Stal the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship title yesterday.

Kaymer carried a six-shot lead going into the final round and extended his advantage to eight shots after birdies at three of his first four holes, but it went downhill fast for the three-time winner soon after.

A bogey at the sixth, a double bogey at the ninth and a triple bogey at the 13th led to Kaymer’s demise and, although he stopped the rot with five successive pars, he ran out of holes with which to recover to gift Stal his maiden European title.