DOHA, Qatar -- Sergio Garcia birdied the third extra hole to beat Mikko Ilonen in a playoff Saturday and win the Qatar Masters for his second victory in three events. Damian Miller Jersey . Garcia entered the round three shots behind overnight leader Rafa Cabrera-Bello but birdied six of his last 12 for a 7-under 65, forcing Ilonen to make an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to force the playoff with a 66. They both finished on 16-under 272. Garcia missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the last that would have given him the win in regulation, and then couldnt make an eagle putt for the victory on the first playoff hole. The Spaniard and Ilonen both had birdies on the second extra hole as well before Garcia sealed the victory with a tap-in birdie at the third to Ilonens par. "I started the day thinking if I can shoot a 6 or 7 under, I can have a chance," Garcia. "Im very happy to be able to win it." Cabrera-Bello only managed a 69 and fell to a tie for third with Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark (68). Garcias victory helped make up for last years disappointment in Doha, when he finished runner-up after Englands Chris Wood eagled the last hole to claim his first European Tour win. It also came on the heels of his victory at the Thailand Golf Championship in December, when he had his girlfriend Katharina Boehm caddie for him. Boehm was among the first to congratulate him after he sealed the win on Saturday. "When things off the golf course are on good terms it is a little easier to concentrate when you dont have too many things in your head," Garcia said. "I am very fortunate with Kathy and with my family and all those around me, so its great to be playing well and to be in this winning situation with the goal now to keep improving. "I still feel like I can do better and that is the goal." Ilonen was seeking just his third tour victory after ending a six-year winless drought last June at the Nordea Masters. "I came up two shots short of my target in regulation thinking a 64 would win outright, but a 66 was good enough for the playoff," the Finn said. "But Sergio was a bit better than me." Olesen had the chance to join the playoff but missed his eight-foot eagle putt on 18. European No. 1 Henrik Stenson finished strongly with birdies on his last four holes for a 67 that put him in a tie for 28th -- perhaps a good sign at the end of a disappointing tournament ahead of next weeks Dubai Desert Classic. Kevin Ginkel Jersey . Balotelli was out at dinner with his brother Enoch and came home to discover he had been burgled. The car was later found abandoned. Balotelli wrote Saturday on Twitter: "I feel empty! No emotions . Joel Payamps Jersey . The Red Sox maintained a share of the AL wild-card lead Tuesday night, using four home runs to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 and set up a dramatic conclusion to the regular season. The skidding Red Sox were 6-19 this month before rebounding to edge the last-place Orioles.Kevin Pietersen says superstar Ben Stokes missing the rest of Englands Test series against Sri Lanka is a big blow for the player. England prepare for the second Test at the Emirates Riverside on Friday without Stokes, who will miss out on playing at his county home ground, as well as the third and final Test at Lords on June 9, after aggravating a knee injury in Englands first-Test win at Headingley.The loss of Stokes is seen as a significant blow for England, with Sky Sports pundit Dominic Cork saying England will miss him. And Pietersen, who scored more than 8,000 runs in 104 Tests for England, believes Stokes absence will be a huge loss, who he says is one of the countrys finest players.Its a big blow for Ben Stokes, hes a wonderful player, a superstar, and hes going to do some great things for England, Pietersen told Sky Sports News HQ. Kevin Pietersen and Stokes batted together for England during the 2013 Ashes series Hes going to play stupid shots and get out in silly ways, but hes going to add a lot more pleasure to people watching the game than he is anything else.I fully support and endorse the way he plays his crricket and its just sad that hes going to be missing out. Diamondbacks Jerseys China. Pietersen feels Stokes game is a similar style to his own in the way that he likes to entertain spectators.I didnt give two hoots out about the way I got out and the manner in which I got out, I repeated mistakes but I was out there to entertain and whack the ball, he added. Kevin Pietersen has experience against Pakistan bowlers having played in the PSL Pietersen does not think Sri Lanka, who lost by an innings and 88 runs in the first Test, will pose as great a challenge as Pakistan, who tour England later this summer.With Pakistan you cant write them off yet because their bowling attack is ridiculous, Pietersen said.Ive faced some of them and I played in the PSL [Pakistan Super League] in Dubai and there are wonderful players in there.That will hopefully be more competitive then the Sri Lankan series but [I still think] England win. Also See: Beefy backs Root, Broad Willis: Id play Ball Stokes a big miss for England Stokes set to miss SL series ' ' '
