Scott Jamieson boosts DP World Tour card hopes as Scots shine in Qatar

With his back against the wall as he fights to hang on to his DP World Tour card, Scott Jamieson led the way on a productive morning for Scottish players in the first round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Scott Jamieson tees off on the 16th hole during Day One of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

Out in one of the opening groups in the final regular event of the season, Jamieson carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to set the clubhouse target before seeing his eye-catching effort matched by New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier.

Before play was then suspended for around an hour due to strong winds then later abandoned for the day because of thunder and lightning, defending champion Ewen Ferguson, Bob MacIntyre and Stephen Gallacher all joined Jamieson in making strong starts in the $3.75 million event as they signed for matching 66s.

Jamieson, who has held full playing privileges on the main tour since 2011, sits 119th in the Race to Dubai and requires a minimum finish of 53rd to finish the season in the all-important top 116.

Defending champion Ewen Ferguson watches a tee shot in the first round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. Picture: Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

“Yeah, delighted with that start,” admitted the Florida–based player of picking up four shots going out then adding three further gains in the first five holes on his back nine.

“It was pretty solid tee to green and I managed to hole some putts today, which has probably let me down in the last few weeks. Certainly been hitting the ball well enough to do better than I have done, but today was a different story.”

It helped that he was out early. “It was lovely,” said the 39-year-old of the near-perfect conditions at 6am local time. “The only problem about being out first is it is so humid, but you obviously get less wind as you always know you are going to get wind here in the afternoon and the course is a little softer as well so, thankfully, I was able to take advantage of that.”

Jamieson, who won the Nelson Mandela Championship in 2012 and is close to clocking up 350 appearances on the circuit, had been inside the card cut-off zone until dropping five spots following a missed cut in last week’s Andalucia Masters.

Bob MacIntyre was pleased with his opening six-under-par 66 at Doha Golf Club in Qatar. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

“Well, I mean there’s nothing to lose anymore, right?” he said of his situation. “If I’m being honest, the last month or so, that’s maybe been the issue. I’ve been worrying about the guys around me and trying to just keep my neck in front. I’m on the wrong side of it now and I’ve got to go and get it.”

Ferguson, who finished eagle-par-birdie to land his maiden win in this event at the same venue a year past March, signed for seven birdies as it brought out the best in him yet again. “I three-putted my first hole for a par and thought ‘here we go’. But I managed to keep my head and rolled in a few nice putts,” said the 27-year-old of his morning’s work.

MacIntyre’s bogey-free effort was illuminated by a 50-footer dropping for a 2 at the eighth - his penultimate hole. “Was it that long?” he asked, smiling. “I thought it was about 35 feet, to be honest. I thought I’d holed about a 70-footer on the hole before. How it missed I don’t know.

“I’d been struggling a wee bit with the putting leading up to the Ryder Cup and didn’t putt my best at the Ryder Cup. So I’ve changed my putter as well and also made a little technique change and the ball is rolling nicely.”

Stephen Gallacher plays his second shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

The Oban man has parted ways with Greg Milne since the Ryder Cup in Rome and explained why he now has Englishman Mike Burrow, who was previously with Danny Willett, on his bag.

“Me and Greg had a great run again,” said MacIntyre of Milne being at his side when coming close to winning the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in July before picking up two-and-a-half points from three matches on his Ryder Cup debut at Marco Simone.

“Obviously I went back to the past and it worked for a wee while and it was good, but I just need that change again. I’ve also changed golf ball last week, which was a good time to do it as Mike didn’t know my old shots to the new shots. I’m trying to get more spin on it and last week was a great test and, with this weather coming in now, it’s been good.

“When I was changing caddie the first time from Greg, it was between Mike Thomson and Mike Burrow and I went for Mike Thomson mainly because he was Scottish (laughing). But it felt like it was an itch needing scratched (with Burrow). Obviously Danny is out injured and Mike was available and it’s been a decent start.”

Gallacher, who sits below Jamieson in the Race to Dubai Rankings but already has a category for next season due to an error over that this year, matched his best score of the year as he went out in five-under 31 then picked up another shot coming home in a bogey-free opening salvo.

“I hit every green, which was good,” said Europe’s winning Junior Ryder Cup captain. “It’s probably the best course I’ve played all year. It’s just in such good condition. That’s probably why the scoring is quite low, even with the wind.”

Marc Warren, who is also fighting to keep his card, joined Richie Ramsay in signing for a two-under 70. Four-time tour winner Warren requires a minimum finish of 76th to jump above Dane John Axelsen, who is facing a battle to make the cut following a disappointing six-over 78.

Following the earlier suspension of just over an hour as a shamal blew in, play was eventually abandoned due to lightning and will restart at 6.30am local time on Friday morning.