…… Fatiha Betscher, Al Hamra, RAK
Scotland’s David Law was soaring high with two eagles and sending him into a two-shot lead heading to the weekend rounds of the inaugural Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the UAE emirate.
Law, 30, chipped in for an eagle ‘3’ at the par-5 14th, and the fifth hole of his round, and then did the same at his 17th hole and the par-eighth hole, by sending a 17-yard pin high chip shot to the bottom of the cup in a stunning round of 64 to head the field at 14-under-par.
Scot David Law soaring with a pair of eagles on day two of the inaugural RAK Championship
The Aberdeen-born Law also managed five birdies on the Al Hamra course laid out close to the Arabian Sea shoreline some 60-minutes drive north of Dubai.
The duo of hotshot Dane Nicolai Hojgaard, with a 65, and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui, who posted a new course 63, share second spot at 12-under-par
Law said: “It was great chipping in twice for two eagles so that was picking up four shots straight away.
“I played good, yesterday was tricky, today as the wind made it play a different golf course today. I rode my luck a little bit, but I was happy”.
It’s been five days shy of three years ago when Law sensationally holed out from the 72nd hole fairway for an eagle to capture the 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia, and all of 78 main tour events ago.
The Paul Lawrie coached and managed Law’s best since then has been two top-10s, and both last year, including fourth behind fellow Scot Grant Forrest at the Hero Open at the Fairmont Resort outside of St. Andrew’s.
Law said: “It’s been a while since the win in Australia. This is my fourth season on tour. I had a chance at St Andrew’s last year to win and I felt very comfortable again in that position.
“I feel like my golf has progressed nicely in the last three years and that’s the main aim, that’s all anyone’s trying to do – to keep improving.
“I feel like I’ve done that and it’s about giving myself opportunities. It’s not about putting pressure on myself to go and win again or anything like that. If I keep knocking on the door and giving myself chances, I’ll hopefully win one of them.”
And top-Scot Robert MacIntyre was all smiles after he chipped from rough down the right side of the 18th to some four feet for the second of two closing birdies in a score of 67 to be sharing eight places at eight-under-par. MacIntyre also showed no signs of any ankle concern that helped a decision not to head Stateside this week.
It had been a horror start to the new season for the Oban lefty missing both cuts ‘down the road’ in Abu Dhabi and Dubai but with his long-time coach, Davy Burns missing the action as he’s in Saudi Arabia working with hot-shot Jordanian-born Brit Shergo Al Kurdi at the Asian Tour’s Saudi International.
And Colin Montgomerie missed the third cut in succession with 58-year-old posting scores of 74 and a gutsy day two 70.
