GRAEME STORM was last night plotting his assault on the money-spinning Dubai Desert Classic after finishing ahead of Ernie Els and Vijay Singh in the Qatar Masters.

Storm, perfectly placed going into the weekend's play after two steady rounds, claimed a top ten finish in Doha yesterday to give him the perfect platform ahead of his date in Dubai.

But, after finishing eighth and earning just over £28,000 a week after making his first cut of the year in Abu Dhabi, the Hartlepool golfer is not about to start getting carried away.

Instead of focusing on trying to finish ahead of the rest in Dubai, he is trying to keep the pressure off his shoulders by just looking for another strong placing.

"It would be nice go out and win something and I would like that to happen at some stage this season," said Storm, who followed a 70 on Saturday with a 71 yesterday to end on eight under par.

"It was nice to make the cut last week and even better to finish eighth here. I'm happy with how things are going and I want that to continue. That does not necessarily mean winning something at this moment."

Storm was always in the mix and was third at one stage but Swede Henrik Stenson, a friend from when they were on the Challenge Tour, was always too far in front for the North-East man to catch up.

Storm, who also finished clear of Irish playing partner and Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley, was delighted with how things went.

Sitting one under at the turn in the final round, after birdies at six and eight, he could have been even higher placed but for a bogey at the 12th which cancelled out another birdie at the 11th.

"I was always in contention but it just never looked like I would be able to catch Henrik and that's how it proved," said the former British amateur champion, who ended two shots clear of Els and arrived in Dubai this morning.

"Henrik was playing fantastically and never looked back. But just to have been so far up the leaderboard on the final day was nice for me."

Stenson expressed his delight at ridding himself of a ten-month hoodoo.

In last year's event the 29-year-old held a two-shot lead over the field going into his final round but ended up losing to Els, who came from five shots back.

Stenson had finished four of his last six tournaments in the top three and also had to contend with the knowledge he had led going to the final round at Abu Dhabi last week, only to finish as runner-up.

This time he demonstrated he could take the pressure exerted by a dogged display from Paul Broadhurst to win by three strokes and a take a third European Tour title back to his Sharjah home.

''After being second last year, this feels great,'' he beamed.

''It's not that I have been disappointed in my own performances in a lot of these second places, but there is a big difference between winning and finishing second.

''I felt the pressure for sure, especially with a bad finish on Saturday - it didn't feel too good walking off the course with a dropped shot on the last.

''But it was a new day and the goal I set was to shoot a 68, and I thought if I did that I would win."

Stenson's win brought him £188,000 and a step closer to realising his key ambition of the season and make his first Ryder Cup, which he admits is his main goal this year.

Published: 30/01/2006