…. Emirates Club, Dubai
For a golfer such as Ewen Ferguson growing up and living in Scotland you are used to rain.
So in journeying to Dubai and this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic you would not expect to be staring at stoppages due to rain, and not just one downpour but many more to further saturate an already soft host Emirates Club course.
In fact, 61 millimetres had fallen on the first 18-hole grassed course to be built in Dubai from late Wednesday through to Friday morning.
Up to Friday afternoon the continuing rain had led to three delays to the commencement of play and with DP World Tour’s Mike Stewart confirming for a first time in the 34-year history of the $US 9m event, play will go through to a Monday finish.
In those 34-years there has never been one prior stoppage and that was in the 2007 event when lightning halted play on day two for some two-and-a-half hours.
Ferguson birded his last hole of his opening round in a one-under 71 ahead of a 4.20pm (Local time) start to his second round but with darkness approaching, the double Tour winner could manage to play just four completed holes in starting from the 10th tee.
Though the Bearsden golfer could not have wished for a better start in the already frustrating two days, in holing a 14-yard chip-in eagle ‘3’ shot for the left edge of the green at the par-5 10th hole.
The effort moved him to three-under ahead of three pars and then with play called for the day.
“I got as far as hitting my tee shot down the middle on 14 and then the siren sounded so it was a matter of marking my ball and off the golf course,” Ferguson said.
“The rain delays have made it pretty frustrating for most of us, and also making it a tough delay.
“I’m happy with the decision to go through to a Monday finish, weather permitting, as RAK is only a short drive north of Dubai, and I was planning anyway to get there Monday afternoon.
“So, I feel a bit more chilled out, they’ve now made that decision, so I may now stay here Monday night and head up the road on Tuesday.
“I am usually terrible when there is any uncertainty, like the weather, when you are playing. Golfers can be physico’s as the stop/start conditions mess you up and that was evident in my first round.
“The bizarre thing is we are getting all this rain here in the desert, and it’s probably been raining more here in Dubai than back home in Scotland (smiling)”.
Ferguson will return, weather permitting, at 7.45am (Local time Saturday) to complete his second round.
At present Ferguson shares 22nd place, at three-under and five adrift of the LIV Golf duo of Brits Ian Poulter and Richard Bland who head the field at eight-under.
Bland has picked-up three shots through four second round holes while ‘Poults’ birdied the first for a second day to be one-under his round after three holes.
