The Qatar Masters winner’s Mother of Pearl Trophy on display at Doha Golf Club.
Doha, Qatar: Few tournaments on the DP World Tour carry the same sense of personal history for Darren Fichardt as the Qatar Masters. From his first appearance in 2000 to this week’s start in Doha, the South African has returned year after year, building a relationship with the event that now spans almost half his life.
This week marks his 23rd appearance at the Qatar Masters and his 17th consecutive start, a remarkable record of loyalty and longevity. It was here in 2003 that Fichardt lifted the iconic Mother of Pearl Trophy, securing his second DP World Tour title with a dramatic play-off victory at Doha Golf Club.
“It was very important. A big surprise, but it was obviously awesome,” Fichardt recalled of that breakthrough win.
The memories of that week remain vivid. Battling strong winds, Fichardt forced a play-off before birdieing the par-five 18th at the first extra hole to seal victory. While much has changed in the years since, his affection for the tournament and its surroundings has only deepened.
“From my first time out here, I think it was 2000, I came out here and there is such a huge South African population, so we’d have South African braais on the Tuesday,” he told DP World Tour.
“There’s a huge community and a lot of support, obviously.”
The Pro-Am competitions ahead of the 29th edition of the Qatar Masters were held yesterday. Qatar Golf Association’s (QGA) team, comprising Secretary General Fahad Nasser Al Nuaimi, Mehdi Diouri, Talal Karkouri, and Eugenio Chakarra, emerged victorious with a score of 30 under par. The winners received their awards from Mike Shoueiry, the QGA's Technical Expert, and Walid Saad, a member of the organising committee. In the morning session, another QGA team, including former QGA President Tami Al Hajri, Paulo Smith and Victor Pak triumphed with a score of 34 under par in the first group of the day.
Fichardt has also witnessed Doha’s transformation first-hand over more than two decades of visits. “What’s special about this place all those years ago is there was one hotel. Everything else was desert. It has developed quite a lot since then.”
Now 50, Fichardt returns once again balancing commitments across multiple tours, but his motivation to compete in Qatar remains undiminished. He came close to adding a second Qatar Masters title as recently as 2021, finishing just one shot behind winner Antoine Rozner, and arrives this week still eager to test himself against a younger generation.
“If I am playing any event, I am going to do my best,” he said. “Wherever I am that week is where I am going to be.”
Joining him in Doha is another former champion in Eddie Pepperell, whose victory at the Qatar Masters in 2018 proved to be a springboard for success. For the Englishman, returning to a venue where he has already triumphed carries renewed significance as he looks to rebuild momentum.
“A lot has happened since then, not just me but the world has been through a lot,” Pepperell said, reflecting on the passage of time since his Doha win.
He believes positive signs are beginning to emerge. “Confidence is a funny thing, it can disappear as quickly as it can come back. I think the seeds have been in the ground for a while for me to play some better golf. It’s just waiting for it to occur, really.”
The Qatar Masters returns this week for its 29th edition, teeing off today at DGC, with 144 players competing for the Mother of Pearl Trophy. Eight former champions are in the field, including Fichardt and Pepperell.
South Africa’s Jayden Schaper leads this year’s field as the current Race to Dubai Rankings leader, with 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed of the United States his closest challenger.
Doha Golf Club will also mark a historic moment this week as Irish great Padraig Harrington makes his 500th DP World Tour appearance, becoming just the 50th player to reach the milestone.
