Top Scots Robert MacIntyre and defending champ Ewen Ferguson continue to be one shot off the lead heading into day three of the storm-affected Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha.
MacIntyre and Ferguson were tied in fourth place at nine-under after nine-holes of their second rounds when poor light halted play just prior to 5pm local time on the host Doha Golf Club course.
Top Scots Robert MacIntyre and Ewen Ferguson just one off the lead at the storm-affected Qatar Masters
A violent electrical storm had stopped play mid-afternoon Thursday leaving half the field of 132 players to complete their rounds.
MacIntyre and Ferguson had been out early missing the storm in posting identical six-under 66s though not teeing-up on day two till just after 2pm Friday local time.
It meant their half of the draw returning to the Doha course at 6.30am local time Saturday (2.30am UK) to complete their second rounds.
Scott Jamieson will be looking to make-up for lost ground having let slip his official share of the first day lead, dropping a shot through 12 second round holes and being tied in 18th place at six-under.
Jamieson arrived in Doha lying 119th place on the Race to Dubai money list and three places outside of retaining his card for the 2024 season.
His share of the lead, and in the final ‘regular’ Tour event of the year, was projected to see him jump safely to 43rd but after a dozen second round holes that projection is back to now 115th.
South African Thomas Aitken matched Jamieson’s opening round score of 65 to currently lead the field at 36-holes at 10-under.
Aitken said: “I’ve always played well here in the past. Unfortunately, with the rain Thursday it got a little wet, normally it plays firm and fast, which is what I like.
“We South Africans generally putt pretty well on these greens”.
Indeed, South Africans have won six of the 25 Qatar Masters contested since the inaugural 1998 tournament.
