There was no hiding Peter Lawrie’s delight after moving inside the top-10 on day two of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha.
Lawrie managed six birdies and dropped just two shots in a four under par 68 and to be sharing 10th place on six under par and only three strokes from the lead.
Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger (66) and the South African pair of Branden Grace (68) and George Coetzee (67) share the lead on nine under par with three others on eight under par.
Peter Lawrie ends a miserable four months run of outs to muscle his way inside the top-10 on day two of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
Lawrie’s effort is the first occasion in nearly four months, and after missing the cut in past eight events, he is guaranteed four rounds since sharing 40th place in last September’s European Masters.
“I’m just delighted as a 68 is a good score especially under the circumstances as I am here on invitation so the goal was just to play as well as I can when I was presented with an opportunity, and for two rounds I’ve done just that,” he said.
“So I have been lucky to get an invitation so thank you very much to the golf club and the sponsors.
“Again, I chipped and putted and that has bene the key for these two days.”
Among the first to congratulate Lawrie was South African-born Jamie Gough, and his coach for nearly a year, and with two embracing as Lawrie made his way to the scorer’s hut.
“It was just a matter of time and hopefully this week will be the beginning of the end in terms of any downturn for Peter as he has played so well, and he really deserves it,” said Gough.
Peter Lawrie on his way to a share of 10th place on day two of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
Lawrie commenced his round from the 10th and started for a second day with a birdie in landing a 20-yard chip shot seven feet behind the flag and holing the putt.
He dropped a shot at 15 but then holed a five-footer at 18 or his ninth before two-putting his 11th hole for a birdie before the shot of his round at the par four, fourth hole or his 13th where Lawrie played a 163-yard 8-iron from the rough to just two feet.
Lawrie dropped a shot at the fifth hole but birdies following at the seventh and his final hole, the par five ninth where he landed a 114-yard gap wedge third shot to 15 feet pin-high right and drained the putt.
“That birdie there on my 18th was easily the most enjoyable and just to finish the day off well,” he said.
“Overall, I didn’t do anything sparkling well but then I didn’t do anything bad either.
“But now that I am here for the weekend I am not about to get carried away, as that has never been me, and all I can still do is look at each round and each week as it comes.
“I just can’t look forward at all as I just don’t have the opportunity given I know I am only playing the next two weeks, in Dubai and out in Malaysia so it will be a case of trying to make as much hay as I possibly can while the sun continues to shine.
“But deep down I am delighted with myself as it’s been a long road and the last cheque I made was last September in Switzerland.
“And I would like this mentioned as there have been people, and they exactly who they are, who have stepped forward to help and it’s taken a lot of pressure off me and I would just like to thank them.
“You know who your friends are when the ‘you know what’ hits the fan!”
Joining Lawrie over the final two rounds in the Qatar capital is Damien McGrane who carded a 70 to move to four under par and join Belfast’s Michael Hoey on that score after his round of 69.
“This is my first cut of the New Year and the conditions were perfect out there today, so it was good to take advantage,” said Hoey.
“I had three birdies in a row, at my seventh, eighth and ninth holes, so that was very satisfying. I then had a three-putt for bogey on my 15th but apart from that the round was pretty solid.”
