Scotland’s Craig Howie knows he needs to jump quickly into the fast lane if he’s to capture a second Challenge Tour success at the UAE Challenge  in Abu Dhabi.

Howie headed into golf’s traditional ‘moving day’ leading by two but stalled with four birdies and an equal number of bogeys in a level par 72 that sent the Peebles golfer back in fourth place at nine-under, trailing five shots adrift of Spaniard Manuel Elvira on the Saadiyat Beach course.

The final group are ready for day three ☀️#UAEChallenge pic.twitter.com/lsUrelUPYq

— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) May 6, 2023

Unlike Howie, Elvira is chasing a first secondary Tour title in his 58^th start while this week is Howie’s 67^th appearance and looking to get back onto the main Tour that a win in the UAE capital would help achieve.

Howie said: “I honestly played okay and hit a lot of really nice shots but my poor shots got punished and this is what happens around this golf course.

“I am pretty disappointed with level par as I had a chance today to push ahead particular when the conditions were ideal this morning

“There are low scores out there, and I showed that with my 66 yesterday, so I am going to need something like nine-under that someone shot today, so that’s the final round goal”.

Liam Johnston is next best of the Scots, grabbing a third round 71 to share 10^th place at six-under.