As his Tartan colleagues struggled in Rome, Craig Howie showed a clean pair of heels in sharing in a new course record to grab a two-shot lead into the weekend rounds of the inaugural UAE Challenge in Abu Dhabi.
Howie, 28, carrying his own clubs produced a bogey-free six-under 66 to move to nine-under on the Gary Player designed Saadiyat Beach course in the UAE capital.
The Peebles golfer and now attached to the UAE’s Al Ain club is looking for a second Challenge Tour triumph after breaking through two years ago in Sweden.
Scotland’s Craig Howie shares in a new course record day two of the inaugural UAE Challenge. Photograph – Challenge Tour
Howie said: “First of all, I’m really pleased as it’s pretty windy again this afternoon, so to go bogey-free was great and minus six is better than I could have asked for.”
“I’ve just got good control of the golf ball, that’s really been the key to my two rounds. So, I’m driving it really well and I am shaping my iron shots really well, kind of using the wind.
“I just feel really comfortable and hopefully it blows quite windy over the weekend. I’ve played a lot of golf in the wind, so, yeah, I feel comfortable, though it is maybe 30 degrees too warm for me (laughing).”
Fellow Scot Liam Johnson also signed for a record-setting 66 highlighted by a hat-trick of birdies from his second hole or the 11th hole on the card, to be sharing sixth place at five-under.
He said: “I got off to a really hot start driving the green on my fist hole and the 10th on the card but, unfortunately, three-putted it.
“But I then made a few really nice birdies on the front nine and just kind of held it together on the back nine, so really pleased with a bogey-free 66”.
