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Bjorn sees Dubai win as a stepping stone

Thomas Bjorn last night vowed that his memorable victory over Tiger Woods was "just a stepping stone" to bigger and better things…

Thu Mar 08 2001 - 00:00

Thomas Bjorn last night vowed that his memorable victory over Tiger Woods was "just a stepping stone" to bigger and better things.

The 30-year-old Dane came out on top after an epic four-day battle with Woods in the Dubai Desert Classic last weekend, applying the pressure until the world number one cracked on the final hole.

In doing so he became only the fourth player to trail Woods going into the final round and emerge victorious. His sixth European Tour victory also lifted him into the top 15 in the world for the first time - he is 14th.

But Bjorn is determined to continue the improvement in his game that has been evident since he won four tournaments in topping the Challenge Tour in 1995, and which culminated in his second-place finish at the British Open last year and third in the USPGA championship - both times behind Woods.

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"Last week didn't change anything for me," the former Ryder Cup player insisted as he completed his preparations for the Qatar Masters in Doha.

"I'm out here to win golf tournaments and I'm not going to try and do that less just because I won last week. My focus is still on the majors and the Ryder Cup and it will be for the rest of the season.

"Last week was just a stepping stone for what I want to do. I took a jump up the world rankings and the Order of Merit so a lot of good things came out of it but it doesn't change my attitude or goals for the season. I have to keep working hard."

Bjorn admitted he was exhausted after the strains of Dubai - he played all four days with Woods - and had little time to celebrate his win because he was packing up his winter home in Dubai for the move back to his London base.

But he should still fare better than his previous two visits to Qatar when he missed the cut both times.

This week's field is not as strong as Dubai but Bjorn will not have it all his own way as former Masters champion Ian Woosnam - second here last year - proved he is close to regaining his best form by finishing fourth in Dubai alongside Mathias Gronberg while Brian Davis (sixth) and McGinley (ninth) are also in form.