Bond sets sights on big time

The European Tour event regularly attracts the biggest names on the circuit to the Doha Golf Club which is regarded as the finest 18-hole championships course in the Gulf.

The event also offers a huge prize fund with last year's Masters winner Darren Fichardt winning a cool £156,054 and this year's total prize fund is likely to be around £1m.

Bond has just returned from Qatar himself having taken part in the Qatar Open, which is part of the Asian Tour.

The winner of the Open is invited to compete in the Masters and, although Bond, who plays on the EuroPro Tour, came second, he has been told he stands a good chance of also being invited to compete.

Bond, who is the Tournament Professional at Marriott St Pierre in Chepstow, paid £1,500 to take part in the Qatar Masters and he received only £900 for coming second which resulted in a £600 loss for the Welsh golfer.

And although it seemed like a gamble at the time, it may well have paid off.

"I've been told there's a good chance that I might be invited to play," said 33-year-old Bond.

"It was a bit of a gamble to take part but my intention before travelling to Qatar was to qualify for the Masters and, from what I have been told, from tournament officials it looks as if I've done that.

"It's just a matter of keeping my fingers cross-ed and waiting for the call."

Bond who is sponsored by A and E Fire Equipment in Cheltenham, came runner-up to Dubai's Ross Bain during the weekend's tournament. He finished on level par one shot off the lead despite a final round of 71.

Bond, who used to play on the Canadian Tour, is expected to learn whether he has qualified in the next couple of weeks and intends to cram as much practice in as possible.

His next event is the Zambian Open at the end of February. He is likely to find out his fate in the first week of February and, if he qualifies the Qatar Masters, he will join fellow Gwent golfers Philip Price and Bradley Dredge.