Inaugural Oman Open won by Joost Luiten

Inaugural Oman Open Won by Joost Luiten

Dutch golfer Joost Luiten beat England's Chris Wood by two shots to take out the inaugural Oman Open with a final round of 68 and tournament tally of 16-under. It is Luiten's 6th European Tour win.

"It's been a great week. It's always tough to win out here, all these guys are so good and they keep putting pressure on you," Luiten said. "I need to win another couple to get into the Ryder Cup team but it's a great start to the year for me."

Frenchman Julien Guerrier was third with 13-under after a last round 71. Seungsu Han (US) and Jorge Campillo (Spain) ended with 68, tying in fourth with France's Alexander Levy.

The NBO Oman Open has joined the Abu Dhabi Championship, the Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters to become the fourth European Tour event staged in countries of the Persian Gulf. It is held on the Greg Norman designed Championship course at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat.

The course surroundings are quite stunning, featuring two kilometres of panoramic Muscat coastline washed by the Indian Ocean, with the ancient Hajjar Mountain Range as an atmospheric background. At 7,342 yards long the Al Mouj is Oman's first links style golf course. Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan and others of this year's players have expressed high praise for the course and its surrounds. The Challenge Tour's Grand Final has been held here for the last five years.

“I’m really surprised by the course here, it’s probably one of the best desert courses you’ll see – although you say desert course but it’s on the sea. It’s a bit of a mix between a links and a desert course. The design is really good and there are so many players saying the same things. It’s in perfect condition, the practice facilities are awesome too, so I’m really pleasantly surprised.” - Chris Wood

“I think it’s one of the best-designed golf courses I’ve ever seen, for tournament golf. I love the way that the greens are designed because you can move a pin and the hole changes completely. The fairways are the right size, generous off the tee but if it’s a flat-calm day you know you can tuck the pins away. It’s a very clever design, a lot of thought’s gone into it and obviously the setting of the course, right on the beachfront, is breathtaking. It really is one of the best golf courses I’ve ever seen.” - Matthew Southgate

“It’s one of the best courses we’ve played. I’m surprised it’s taken us this long to get over here to be honest with you. It’s a fantastic design, a great place and the weather is stunning as well. The setting is perfect here in Muscat, with a lovely mountainous back drop and then the course right down by the sea front. It’s a beautiful golf course, a good test and great surfaces so you can’t fault it.” - Paul Waring