Scots pair in the mix at Grand Final

SCOTTISH duo Chris Doak and Craig Lee both got in on the act as the second round of the Challenge Tour’s Grand Final turned into a birdie-fest at San Domenico Golf in southern Italy.

On a day when Englishman Tommy Fleetwood stepped up his bid to top the rankings with a career-best 61 to lead by three at the halfway stage on 14-under, Doak and Lee both kept alive hopes of achieving their targets in the end-of-season event.

Doak, who probably needs a top-two finish to have a chance of climbing from 36th spot on the rankings into the all-important top 20 in order to secure a European Tour card for next season, carded a six-under-par 65 to jump into a tie for 18th.

He is eight shots behind leader Fleetwood, with Lee who lies 12th in the rankings and is hoping to finish the season with a top-10 card, a shot closer to the pacesetter after a 66.

Doak covered the opening 12 holes in six-under before running up a double-bogey at the 13th, but bounced back with two more birdies. He said: “I’ve got to go for every shot and things like the double bogey at the 12th might happen – it’s a case of everything to gain and nothing to lose,” said the Greenock man.