Richie Ramsay kept the Scottish ‘feel good’ factor alive in Qatar with a 68 to be one shot off the lead heading to day two of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha.
Ramsay got his round off to a flyer in the windy conditions by eagling the first and the birding the second and while the triple Tour winner bogeyed his third he sprinted to the top with birdies at his seventh, ninth and 10th holes.
It was a case of batten down the Qatar hatches for the next four holes with Ramsay taking pars ahead of back-to-back bogeys at his 16th and 17thholes that dropped him to three-under.
Ramsay holed out for birdie at his last to end the round in a seven-way tie for second at four-under and one off the lead.
Scotland’s Richie Ramsay keeping the Scottish feel good factor alive in Doha after his round of 68 on day one of a testing first day at the Qatar Masters (Image – European Tour)
Tied at the top is rookie Spaniard Ardi Arnaus and South African Justin Waters who posted the only bogey-free round in the leading nine.
Scots Andy Coltart and Paul Lawrie between them have won three times in Doha while Marc Warren was runner-up in 2015 while three years ago, Lawrie led by three shots with a round to play only to collaspe and finish T13th.
Rookie Robert MacIntyre, who has made the cut in all five of his events this year, also battled the windy condition superbly in producing a three-under par 69 in his maiden showing in the now 22nd staging of the event.
The Oban lefty raced into a share of the lead at four-under par with a fifth birdie of his round at the 10th and was still at four-under par after bogeying his 14th hole and then picking-up a birdie on 15.
MacIntyre then slipped off the leading pace when he bogeyed his 17th.
He said: “I’ve learned that the key out there is staying patient.
“I’ve made the cut in the five events I’ve played this year but I’ve also gone backwards on the weekends.
“So, while I continue to do that I feel like I’ve been getting negative on the weekends and find myself looking at the leader-boards.
“The plan now is to get aggressive as I am not here just to make cuts. This is my job and I just have to try and get on with it and realistically win.
“The goal then is got at it over the weekends and try and secure a top finish. My results so far have been steady but they’ve not been what I wanted.”
Fellow Scottish rookie Grant Forrest had moved to four-under after 13 holes only to then double his 14th but to this credit the former Crail Battle Trophy champ birdied his last also in a 69.
Double Doha winning Lawrie struggled in the conditions managing just two birdies at the seventh and last holes but also posting five bogeys, a double-bogey and a 12th hole triple in a score of 80.
He said: “80 for me today, bit windy sore back and a very dodgy putter is not a good combo but will try my best again tomorrow.”
Sadly, the score for the now 50-year old comes on the back of an 83 in last week’s Oman Open.
And Sam Locke, who Lawrie had managed to secure an invitation, bounced back from being five-over through eight holes and in the company of the 1999 Open champ, to play his next 10 holes in three-under for a two-over par 74.
OTHER SCOTTISH SCORES
72 – David Drysdale, Marc Warren, Liam Johnston
73 – David Law, Scott Jamieson
76 – Stephen Gallacher
