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.

The Qatar Masters - First Round (2-2-2012)

To produce a level par 72 in the high winds and sandstorm that blew all day across the Doha Golf Course was very satisfying.

The sand got everywhere in the eyes, the mouth and into the nose. But it was the eyes that made it toughest. I could have protected my eyes with sunglasses but I don't like playing golf in them. And you need your eyes to play golf.

Two aspects of my golf pleased me most. I drove the ball well in the high winds and was unfortunate then when I did miss the fairways. I got bad lies even though the rough here is not that thick.

At the 14th for instancde I found myself up against a palm tree and had to play my recovery left handed. That I was able to move the ball 40 yards down the fairway made it the shot of the day.

I dropped two shots at par fives which is always disappointing , but I did also make three birdies hitting a five iron to 18 inches at the 8th, holing from 25 feet at the 13th and at the short par four 16th i got up and down from the edge of the green.

Very satisfying was my putting. The greens here are grainy with lots of slopes and because the wind had to be taken into account they had not been cut early in the morning. They were poor but I only three putted once in a very solid round.