Scott Jamieson battled a stiff Arabian ‘Shamal’, and gusting at times to 40-mph, to stay in sight of the lead heading to the weekend rounds of the CB Qatar Masters in Doha.
Jamieson emerged from the sandblast-like conditions signing for a second round 71 to be trailing just four shots from the front on the Economic City course.
Dane Jeff Winther, 32 posted a second straight 67 to lead the field by two shots at eight-under as he seeks a first Tour win.
Five players share second place on six-under par.
Jamieson, and out in the tougher afternoon conditions, was off to a super start with four birdies in seven holes but horribly gave three back with a triple-bogey at eight before regrouping with birdies on 10 and 13 ahead of bogeys on 14 and 16 and end with a pair of pars.
Scott Jamieson nearly engulfed by the Shamal that his the second round of the CB Qatar Masters. (Photo – European Tour)
He said: “It was a tough day, so if you’d have offered me level par on the first tee I probably wouldn’t fancied I could beat it. I wouldn’t have been too upset with it.
“It’s so bunched, I still feel like I should have been a couple better but I’m in a good position.
“The tournament doesn’t really start until the back nine on Sunday so you have to get yourself in a good position come from.”
Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest was also out in the toughest part of the day and superbly capped his round at his fourth hole, the par-5 13th, in holing a 15-footer for an eagle ‘3’ in a three-under 68 for a three-under total.
He said: “It was a good score. I played really solid. When the wind is up like that you have to be in control of the golf ball.
“For the most part I did that and only one bogey on the card, so I’m happy with the day’s work after leaving a few out there yesterday.
“And after the frustration of my bogey on 11, or my second hole, I forget about that, move on and I made an eagle on 13 which really settled me in.
“It was playing straight down wind, that tee shot. I hit three-wood then a nice seven iron to about 15 feet and rolled it in – I wish they were all the simple.”
And the key now for the 27-year-old over the weekend is the ‘P’ word.
Forrest said: “Patience is the biggest thing. I’ve been working on a few things and feel like they are starting to bed in now. Just getting more comfortable on the course and my confidence is building”.
Also, at three-under is Aberdonian David Law who was leading by a shot heading to day two.
But he got the worst of the blustery conditions that wreaked havoc with the Scot posting a second day 75 and 11 shots more than a day one equal career-low 64.
Law was even par for his round after 10 holes and then birdied his 11th before proceeding to drop five shots with five bogeys in six holes from his 12th to 17th holes in a round of 75.
Borders David Drysdale was through to the weekend with scores of 70 and 72 while poor light left Connor Syme at two over and two to play.
Richie Ramsay (69 & 74) is at three over.
Missing the cut will be Stephen Gallacher (70 & 75), Calum Hill (72 & 75) while Marc Warren did not tee-up following his opening 77.
