WARREN: I’M GLAD I’VE HIT MARC AGAIN
MARC WARREN turned up the heat with five straight birdies for his lowest score in more than two years at the Golf in Dubai Championship.
Warren muscled his way to an eight-under-par 64 to join fellow Scot Craig Howie in sharing fifth place on day one at the Sergio Garcia designed Fire Course at Jumeirah.
England’s Andy Sullivan set the pace with a course record 11-under-par 61.
But Warren’s score is his best since a similar 64 on day two of the 2018 Portugal Masters and the Glaswegian could not have been happier.
He said: “It was really good out there, especially after five weeks at home and not playing much golf due to the weather.
“I was expecting a little bit of rust early on and parred the first then bogeyed the second but it was plain sailing after that.
“I gave myself a lot of chances, felt I stayed patient on the front nine and got the rewards with a really strong back nine.
“I had noticed Andy’s score before I went out and tried not to go chasing it because those rounds don’t come around too often. Eight under par is an ideal start for me and patience was the key.”
The Austrian Open winner was one over after two holes but made the turn in two-under.
He then had a run of birdies from the 12th and stormed to seven under ahead of a ninth birdie of his round at the 18th.
Howie was also two under over his front half and played his closing nine in six under capped by an eagle three at his 16th.
Top-ranked Scot Bob MacIntyre joined the birdie bonanza with nine – but also three bogeys – in a six-under-par 66. He’s tied in 12th with Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest who also capped his day with an eagle at the 13th.
Double Dubai Desert Classic winner Stephen Gallacher was three-under at the turn but then parred all his inward half holes.
Meanwhile Scott Jamieson tees-up in the South African Open today inspired by memories of three years ago when he was runner-up to local hero Branden Grace at the Nedbank Challenge.
A repeat would be good enough to get Jamieson to Dubai next week for DP World Tour Championship.
The Florida-based Scot is 66th on the Race to Dubai list and must finish second to ensure his place in the Dubai field.
Jamieson – who is among six Scots in the Sun City field including David Drysdale and Connor Syme – said: “I have so many good memories of my first time here in finishing second here.
“So I’m looking to draw on that this time.
“If I do my job well enough, it’s off to Dubai.”