Scottish trio in top 15 in Abu Dhabi

Iceland's Olafia Kristinsdottir leads the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at the halfway stage. Picture: Getty Images

The tartan triumverate have all opened with a brace of 69s at Saadiyat Beach for six-under totals and sit joint-14th.

They trail Norwegian Olafia Kristinsdottir by seven shots after she cemented her position at the top of the leaderboard by backing up an opening 65 with an equally impressive 66.

But Laing insisted that there is still time for the Scots to get in the title mix in the first of three end-of-season LET events in the United Arab Emirates.

“Yeah!” declared the Musselburgh woman when asked if she still felt she was in with a chance.

“There are a couple of days to go, so a lot of golf left. I’m hitting it well and I’m putting well, so anything’s possible.”

The European Tour has established some of its leading events in the UAE and now the LET has managed to add two new tournaments in the area, where it has seen the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters go from strength to strength.

“I think it’s fantastic,” added Laing of the Abu Dhabi addition. “I like the golf course, the practise facilities, the hotel, the food, the weather, everything.

“I think it’s really important this swing with all the events close together. There are so many good courses here and they always put on a really good tournament.”

Elsewhere, Duncan Stewart and Scott Henry are both sitting outside the top 30 after two rounds in the Challenge Tour’s NBO Golf Classic Grand Final in Oman.

Stewart, who has already secured a step up to the European Tour next season, signed for a second consecutive 71 to lie joint-31st on two-under.

Henry is two shots back in a share of 38th after he bounced back from a disappointing 75 on Wednesday with a flawless 69.

Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer leads by a shot on 13-under after opening efforts of 67 and 64 at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat.