Dubai, UAE ... Top-ranked Scot Bob MacIntyre brushed-off any injury concern in comfortably making the cut at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
MacIntyre, 23 birdied two of his opening four holes and also two of his closing four holes in two-under par 70 and a level par tally to be two shots inside the cut-off mark on the toughened Emirates Club course in Dubai.
England’s Eddie Pepperell (67) heads the field at seven-under par with the trio of defending champ, Bryson DeChambeau (67), Sweden’s Robert Karlsson (68) and South African Dean Burmester (68)s sharing second at seven-under par.
Robert MacIntyre in good spirits in making a first cut of the New Year .. Also showing tape on his left wrist. Photo @tourmiss)
MacIntyre had clearly struggled on day with playing partner Graeme McDowell speaking on day one fearing the young Scot may further damage an injured left wrist.
Though there was no such concern on day two with the World No. 67 ranked lefty going within millimetres of chipping-in for birdie at the last and delighted with his showing that included birdies at his first, fourth and seventh holes.
MacIntyre dropped shots at his 10th and 11th holes before regaining the shots thanks to birdies at his 15th and 16th holes.
He said: “Well, that gets me on the Race to Dubai board this year and gets us rolling (smiling).
“I’ve not really driven it well again today. But, after not playing for eight weeks, to make the cut here shows where my golf is at.
“I’ve still got the game and the fight right at the end sums up how I play golf – I throw everything at it.”
The young Scot heads into the weekend sharing ?? place and while he says he’s playing pain-free, and despite a bandage on his wrist, he admits having played just three rounds in some eight weeks, his game is just 50%.
He said: “I can’t move my wrist as much as the other hand as the strapping is stopping me overdoing it, which is what you want
“As for my game? I’d say my game is only at 50 per cent at the moment. My short game has been very sharp. I’ve got a mat in my house and I can roll a few now and again.
“But I’d read a few things about people being injured and doing too much so I only did it every now and again.
“There’s a few things still rusty, but I’m feeling better with each round and, having said we needed one birdie coming in there today, it was great that we make two on the tough side.
“It means this week realistically I’m probably not going to compete. The driver would have had to been performing for that to happen, but making the cut is a big step for me.
“I’ve got a new driver in the bag, but I’m not swinging it the way I want to. There’s a bit of work still to be done and I am sure we will turn the corner with that.
“Physically, I’m all good. I had a real test on the 14th where I hit a bad tee shot and my ball was right in front of a bit of a small bush.
“I said to Greg (Milne – caddy), ‘if it doesn’t break here, it is never going to break (laughing)! I hit it hard, as everyone would do whether you had a sore hand or two good hands. There was no pain.
“I’m not getting any treatment on my hand at all, just the rest of my body after not playing for eight weeks.
“And mentally, there was one wrong decision today whereas yesterday there were so many but we are getting closer with only one today.”
Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest, and playing the event for a first time, birdied four holes in succession mid-round be the leading Scot in adding a 68 to his opening 73 and be tied in 15th place with Open Champion, Shane Lowry on three-under par.
Forrest, 26 kick-stared his birdie run in brilliantly getting up-and-down from a fairway bunker at the ninth.
He said: “To walk off with a birdie on nine was huge momentum-wise as I then made it four birdies in a row after that.
“I have not played this tournament before so it’s not come as a surprise as much that it is playing tough whereas for those who have playing here five, 10-years plus then it has come probably as a bit of a shock.
“The thing is if you keep it on the short stuff there is still plenty of chances, so you can still make a good score. It’s also a fair test.
“It’s nice now to be playing all four rounds but then it’s not about making the cut as last week I did not have the best of first days (74 Abu Dhabi) so to come out on a Friday after a good first round score sets you up for a decent weekend.”
