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Qatar Masters: Teenager Jakub Hrinda to make European Tour debut

Jakub Hrinda: Set to become the youngest ever player to compete at the Qatar Masters.
Image: Jakub Hrinda: Set to become the youngest ever player to compete at the Qatar Masters.

Jakub Hrinda will become one of the youngest players in European Tour history when the 14-year-old features in this week's Qatar Masters.

The Slovakian-born teenager, who doesn't turn 15 until March, secured his place by winning the Qatar Open amateur tournament at the same venue earlier this month. 

Hrinda will be the youngest player to ever appear at the Qatar Masters and the 10th youngest to feature in a Race For Dubai event, although the amateur is over two years older than Ye Wo-cheng, who was just 12 years and 242 days old when he played in the China Open two years ago. 

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14-year-old amateur Jakub Hrinda prepares for his first European tour start at the Qatar Masters.

"I’m really excited to be playing,” Hrinda said, who has taken the week off school to compete. “I’ve been watching this tournament for the last four or five years and it has always been a dream of mine to play, so to be finally doing it is great.

“I started taking it (golf) seriously when I was eight when we moved to Doha, so since then for the past six years I’ve been working with my coach, my dad, and I’ve just been developing on this course.

“I’ve shot 67, so yeah I’ve played pretty well. I think I could make it (the cut) if I play well enough, so that’s the goal for me.”

High hopes

More from Qatar Masters 2015

Also featuring in Doha is 20-year-old Matt Fitzpatrick, with the rookie keen to impress in his maiden story on the European Tour.

The Sheffield-born world No 330 missed the cut at last week’s Desert Swing opener in Abu Dhabi, but finished tied-fifth at the South African Open earlier this month – and has set himself a bold target for 2015.

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Matthew Fitzpatrick is just three events into his first full season on the European Tour but the young Englishman has already managed a top 5 finish.

“There are loads of things you can look at,” Fitzpatrick said. “My main goal is really to try and get to the Race to Dubai final.”

“For me, obviously, a goal is to keep my card but I don’t want to be looking at that as my main target.

“That top 60 or whatever (to qualify for the Race to Dubai), if I can play that then I’ll know I’ve had a good season, a particularly good first year on tour.

“Last year on the Challenge Tour I played really well and didn’t miss any cuts, so it’s just about trying to be positive, not too aggressive, but trying to take your chances when you can.”

Watch the Qatar Masters live on Wednesday from 6.30am on Sky Sports 4 HD – your home of golf. 

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