David Law 'excited' to be in contention in Ras Al Khaimah for second year running

David Law is back in the mix at the halfway stage in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship and has one of the Hojgaard twins for company again at the top of the leaderboard at Al Hamra.

Twelve months ago, the Aberdonian opened with rounds of 66-64 to lead by two shots from Nicolai Hojgaard before finishing in a tie for seventh behind the Dane.

After covering his last five holes in five-under, Law matched that eight-under 64 in the second circuit this time around and shares top spot at the same stage with the other Hojgaard, Rasmus, and also Pole Adrian Meronk.

“Yeah, really pleasing,” said the 31-year-old Scot, speaking to Sky Sports Golf, of his afternoon’s work, having picked up three shots in the opening eight holes before producing an eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie burst on the back nine.

David Law plays his second shot on the 16th hole on day two of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

“Just sort of stayed patient. I played some good stuff the first 12 holes or whatever it was, but didn’t hole too much. Then the last six holes I putted really well, which made a big difference.”

His effort was bettered by just one player as Englishman Dale Whitnell carded nine birdies in a 63 that propelled him to within one shot of the lead.

“Yesterday was a little tricker; it was a wind direction I’d never seen here before,” added Law. “Today, when you hit the par-5 13th, we were hitting 6-iron in there and it makes a big difference. This course is very wind dependent and this one was a favourable one on the back nine.”

The two-time Scottish Amateur champion is chasing a second DP World Tour title after landing a breakthrough win in just his sixth start as a card holder in the 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open.

Connor Syme birdied four holes in a row in his second circuit Al Hamra Golf Club. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

“Yeah, I’m excited,” said Law of what lies ahead over the weekend. “It’s a different golf course than we’ve played the last few times I’ve been here. You know, the fairways are so tight and it’s that firm that everyone is missing fairways.

“It probably does play into the hands of the big-hitters a little bit, I’d say, but, at the same, there’s quite a bit of skill in controlling your ball from the rough as well.”

Connor Syme is the next among five Scots to make the cut, having transformed his second circuit with a burst of four straight birdies towards the end of his front nine.

“It was just a bit of a mentality shift, to be honest, because I didn’t hit it great on the range and I didn’t feel that great at the start,” he said after signing for 68 to sit on five-under. “I hit in the rough on the 13th and made bogey there and it was like, ‘right, just get the foot really and try and get a good run going’, which I managed to do.

“I missed a good opportunity for five in a row, but it was a good run and it totally changed the tournament for me at that point because I was there or thereabouts on the cut mark, so it was great to try and push on and look up the leaderboard.”

Marc Warren (71) made it through on four-under, with Ewen Ferguson (72) surviving a 7 to finish as he progressed along with Grant Forrest (72) on two-under.

On the Challenge Tour, David Drysdale sits six shots off the lead, held by home player Jaco Van Zyl, at the halfway stage in the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open as Euan Walker and Craig Howie also made the cut in the season-opener.

In the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, the first event of the new LET season, Kylie Henry lies joint-seventh but eight shots off the lead, held by India’s Aditi Ashok after 36 holes. Michele Thomson, Louise Duncan and Laura Beveridge all missed the cut.