Press and Journal columnist Stephen Gallacher did not enjoy the best second round in the Dubai Desert Classic, but neither did leader Rory McIlroy.
After shooting a one- under-par 71 for 137 Gallacher goes into the final two rounds at the Emirates Club just four shots off the lead and well positioned to retain the title he won in such style 12 months ago.
Furthermore, after playing three rounds in the glare of the spotlight alongside McIlroy and Tiger Woods – and shooting lower than world number one Woods on all three occasions – Gallacher can play his third round today without having to perform in front of huge galleries.
He is paired to play alongside Jamie Donaldson, walking on to the first tee 45 minutes before Mc- Ilroy starts his round.
Leader McIlroy shot a two-under-par 70 yesterday and is on 11-under 133 – one shot ahead of American Brooks Koepka, whose flawless 65 equalled the lowest score of the day. England’s Danny Willett also shot 65 to share third place on eight under alongside Damien McGrane.
Woods could only manage a 73 to make the cut with just one shot to spare on three-under 141.
Gallacher was not fazed by playing alongside two of the world’s best players for 36 holes. He said: “They were normal. They just chatted away and I said to my caddie that’s where we want to be, playing with the best and, hopefully, come Sunday afternoon, I will be partnering Rory again.”
Halfway through his second round Gallacher’s driving let him down as he made three bogeys in the space of four holes from the ninth but at the end of the round he was happy enough. He said: “I am only four shots behind, so I am still in it.”
So is Aberdeen’s Paul Lawrie, Gallacher’s fellow Press and Journal columnist. Lawrie shot a 71 to be on five-under 139 at halfway.
Also in the running is Glasgow’s Chris Doak. Doak slipped on a wet pavement at home while transferring his clubs from one car to another and fell heavily on his left knee. But he shot a 68 yesterday, admitting that painkillers had helped. His fellow Scot Colin Montgomerie, playing his last event before travelling to America to play on the Champions Tour, was also in the hunt when he reached six under par with two holes of his round to play.
But at the 17th Monty pushed his drive and his ball end up stuck in the fronds of a palm tree and he ran up a double bogey. The 50-year-old said: “I could see two balls up there and two more in another tree. But they were too high to climb up to identify them and I am too old to climb up them.”
Honesty cost another Scot, David Drysdale, a place in the final two rounds over the weekend. At two under he was inside the cut but on the 16th green he went to brush away some loose grass on his putting line with his hand and inadvertently flattened down a pitch mark. But Drysdale owned up immediately to referee John Paramor and accepted the two-shot penalty that ruled out his chance of making any pay cheque tomorrow night.