Scot Paul Lawrie cards 11-under in 2 rounds to lead

Thursday, 28 January 2016. Doha, Qatar: It was windy alright, but the sun was out keeping the chill at bay on the second day of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and that reflected on the scores, throwing up a few surprises.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia, who won the Mother of Pearl trophy in 2014, finished the day with a fine card of 6-under 66 and total of 136 with end the day tied sixth.

Defending champion, Branden Grace of South Africa, who didn’t have a very good outing yesterday, posting 2-under, managed to get a few good shots under his belt in Round 2. He carded 5-under to end with a total of 137, tied 11th alongside Day 1 leader Spaniard Pablo Larrazábal.

Grace could have carded a better score had he not messed his front nine on the day. Starting the play from hole No. 10, Grace exuded class negotiating the greens with élan. His driver was spot on and so was his putter. No wonder the South African carded 31 after the first half including his tally with three birdies and an eagle on par-4 16th hole.

But, on return it was an easy par-4 third hole that tricked him. The man double-bogeyed the hole that ideally should have been wrapped up with a birdie if not an eagle. The ball landed into the bunker and the trouble shooting that followed cost him two strokes. A birdie in the first and the nine salvaged his score a bit as he finished the front nine with 36.

The Big Easy, Ernie Els, Protea Louis Oosthuizen and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, who started late in the day kept the crowds well entertained with their play.

Els like yesterday went easy on the birdies, but ensured that the bogeys were kept farthest away from sight, shy the one on the 11th hole that saw him card 6-under with a total of 138, Tied 20 after two days play.

Oosthuizen's form from yesterday eluded him as he ended with a not so impressive card of 73 in the day, thanks to a round that was littered with three bogeys. From leading the field on day one, he fell 19 positions to end tied-20.

Jaidee, who had ended Round 1 with a card of 68, thanks to his untimely bogey on the 18, too failed to impress. He finished tied-34 to end the day on par and a total of 140.

But it was Scottish pro Paul Lawrie, who left the spectators in awe with his impressive figure of 11-under 133 after the two round to finish atop the leaderboard. He carded 66 and 66 respectively despite one bogey each in both rounds. (Qatar Sports Press Committee)

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