Dubai Desert Classic 2012: Rafael Cabrera-Bello Wins, McIlroy Finishes Fifth

Despite having the No. 3 player in the world, Lee Westwood, hot on his trail, Rafael Cabrera-Bello held on with a score of -18 to win the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic. Westwood had a birdie putt on the 18th hole to try to send the tournament to a playoff, as did Scot Stephen Gallacher, but they couldn’t sink it, and Cabrera-Bello went home with the trophy and a hilarious picture with the trophy presenters:

via dubaidesertclassic.com

After three rounds of play in the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic, the competition is fierce with 15 players within five shots of the lead. Rory McIlroy and Thomas Bjorn were both tied for the lead at 13-under after the first two rounds, but there is a new leader in the clubhouse in Lee Westwood at 15-under after shooting a 67 in the third round of play. McIlroy found himself two shots behind the lead at 13-under after the third round. Bjorn found himself right behind McIlroy at 12-under after shooting a 73 in the third round of play.

Stephan Gallacher found himself in second play, just one shot behind the leader after shooting a 68 in round 3 at 14-under. Marcel Siem and Rafael Cabrera-Bello are tied with Gallacher at 14-under, followed by Joel Sjoholm, Scott Jamison, and Martin Kaymer all tied with Rory McIlroy at 13-under after three rounds.

While the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is taking place on the Central Coast of California, the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic is already underway. The tournament features three of the current Top Five-ranked golfers in the world and is not to be overlooked.

After the first two days of play are in the books, the competition is extremely tight. The top nine names on the leaderboard are all within three strokes of one another.