Robert MacIntyre needs just a Omega Dubai Desert Classic top-three finish and he can packs his bags for this year’s Masters.
MacIntyre brilliantly burst into contention for a second Tour victory, and in only five events, thanks to an Omega Dubai Desert Classic second round bogey-free 68 and muscle his way to a share of second place at nine-under par.
The tor-ranked Scot held the clubhouse lead till very late in the day before overtaken by German Thomas Detry posting a 68 to lead by a shot at 10-under par.
New British No. 1 Tyrrell superbly turned around a horror first round 76 for last week’s Abu Dhabi winner to regroup with an eagle and eight birdies in a 64 to get back to four-under.
MacIntyre continues to benefit in packing a new driver in the bag but admitting it was not as good a display as Thursday’s opening 67.
Robert MacIntyre just one shot off the lead heading to the final two rounds of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic
He said: “Yeah, it wasn’t as pretty as yesterday’s round, if I’m being honest. Wasn’t as solid. But that’s the way golf is.
“You can’t have a 72-hole tournament where you hit it absolutely perfectly.
“Today I felt I was out of rhythm early on; the group itself, we couldn’t get any momentum within the group, which was difficult”.
The reigning Cypress Showdown champ arrived in Dubai ranked No. 52 in the world and needs to be inside the top-50 at the time of the March 22nd rankings.
And Scotland’s top-ranked could ease all the speculation with the following efforts in the UAE:-
Dubai Desert Classic Result – World Ranking
1st 33rd
2nd 40th
3rd 43rd
4th 46th
MacIntyre said: “The Masters is a goal of mine, but it’s all taken care of by good golf.
“And what I’m doing just now is I’m playing good golf and starting to find a stride with the irons. If I continue to do that, then that should hopefully take care of that.
“Just now I’m sticking to what I’ve been doing the last two days or the last week and a half, and just enjoy myself.
“Mick’s (Thomson – caddy) doing a great job of keeping me in check and keeping me from losing a bit of cool so we’re just going out to enjoy ourselves and see where we end up.”
A Dubai win would also see MacIntyre qualify for the February 23rd starting WGC event in Florida and also tee-up in the PGA Tour’s flagship Players Championship starting 11th March.
And if handed the gleaming coffee pot-like trophy would see MacIntyre, and in just a second Desert Classic showing, join Colin Montgomerie (1996) and Stephen Gallacher (2013 & 2014) as winners in Dubai.
OTHER SCOTS:
141 – Scott Jamieson (71); 143 – Grant Forrest (69) & Richie Ramsay (72); 145 – David Law (73); 147 – Stephen Gallacher (73), David Drysdale (74); 150 – Conor Syme (78)
