Dubai Desert Classic - Preview (8-2-2012)

It might seem strange after missing the cut at my first two tournaments of the new season, but I have arrived in Dubai happy with the state of my game.

Its always good to come back here to the Emirates Golf Club because I have so many happy memories of my first European Tour win in the 2003 Desert Classic.

But I also feel that missing those cuts does not reflect how I have been playing. In Qatar I was only one shot outside the cut and I had the wrong half of the draw playing when the wind and sandstorms were at their worst.

Early today I played in the pro-am and hit the ball well and I feel that if I can hole some putts this could be a good week for me.

The course is in excellent condition but the greens are slightly softer than usual so for the first two rounds at least it should be possible to attack the flags. But I expect in the desert heat that they will get harder and faster by the weekend.

The Qatar Masters – Round Two (4-2-2012)

For the second day running I spent a lot of energy filling in time at the Doha Golf Course.

The fierce sandstorms that caused play to be suspended had blown themselves out and the windspeed dropped a lot.

However, having finally completed my second round 74, some 28 hours after it started, I found myself at two over par and dicing with the cutline.

Eventually I was one shot out of playing on Sunday which was really disappointing.

In the wrong half of the draw and battling the worst of the elements I played with good control from tee to green in both of my rounds.

But completing the last 13 holes of the second round I just could not make a putt. Not that I was putting badly but I had three attempts lip out softly which showed that I wasn’t far off the target.

I did manage to make a birdie at the par five 18^th having hit the green in two but it was an eagle that I needed to card to make the field for the final day.

The Qatar Masters - Day Two (3-2-2012)

With winds gusting at up to 45 miles an hour barely three hours play was possible on the second day of the Qatar Masters.

We were brough off the course at 9.15 and there was no more action. At lunchtime tournament director David Probyn called play of for the day and reduced the tournament to 54-holes.

It was the right decision because if those of us players in the first half of the draw had continued our rounds in the afternoon when the wind was still blowing strong we would have suffered.

In contrast the players in the other half of the draw would have escaped playing all day and only returned to action on the third day when calmer conditions are expected.

I played just five holes before the hooter went, dropping a shot at the fourth. But it was good damage limitation and at one over par I still should make the cut and not be too far behind the leaders.