Lawrie slips back after a blistering start

FRUSTRATED Paul Lawrie went from three ahead at one point in the second round to six shots off the pace at the halfway stage, but the Scot is still hoping he can mount a weekend challenge in the Dubai World Championship.

One behind playing partner Peter Hanson after the first round, Lawrie made a blistering start as he picked up three birdies in his first four holes to move to ten under par.

He was close in with his approaches at the first and second, then almost holed in one at the 245-yard fourth to open a gap on the chasing pack.

Swinging the club beautifully, the former Open champion almost holed a monster putt at the fifth and came close with other birdie chances at the next two holes as well. But a dropped shot at the eighth – his first bogey of the tournament – halted the momentum and, from then on, Lawrie started to struggle with his driving. He let two shots slip with a six at the 12th, then followed a birdie at the par-5 14th and three successive bogeys before holing from 20 feet for a birdie at the last.

It added up to a one-over-par 73 to leave the Aberdonian in a tie for fifth on five-under 138, six behind Spaniard Alvaro Quiros after his best-of-the-day 64.

“I got off to a great start then drove it all over the place – my driving was as bad as I can remember,” said Lawrie. “When you do that and don’t hole a putt – the one on the last was the only one I holed all day – there’s a fair chance you are going to shoot over par.

“Yesterday I hit it so well that I was in good position for a birdie at every hole, but I struggled a bit today. It’s not easy out there, which makes a 64 a hell of a score, and when you are driving in the rough like I was, you are going for the fat of the greens, not the pins.

“It’s tough when you are a wee bit out, but I’m still there or therebouts and if I can have a good weekend you never know.”

On seeing so many putts shave the hole, he added: “I could easily have been five shots better today without even thinking about it, but that’s golf. I tend to show my emotions and I was very frustrated out there as I hit at least five or six beautiful putts that didn’t go in.”

Richie Ramsay jumped 13 places into a tie for 29th after a 69 for 143, one less than Scott Jamieson as he signed for a second successive 72.