Ramsay remains in contention in Doha

lead the Doha event on eight under.

Ramsay is hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Scots Andrew Coltart, who won the inaugural event in 1998, and Paul Lawrie, who was victorious in 1999 and 2012.

He said: “I am very pleased with a 70 as I actually played way better than yesterday.

“I was just really steady. It was disappointing to three-putt 17 for bogey but I then hit a fantastic drive down the last and then found the green for a twoputt birdie and that birdie was important going into the weekend.

“To bogey 17 as I did and not to have birdied 18 would have put a dampener on things with regards your mindset and attitude as you are always looking for a ray of light.

“The wind is making it tough to judge but, overall, I am really content going to the weekend.”

Ramsay was one of five Scots to make the cut in Qatar with Oban’s Robert Macintyre and Grant Forrest both three under after matching opening rounds of 69 and 72, while Scott Jamieson (-2) and Liam Johnston (-1) also made the weekend.

Marc Warren ( level par), Sam Locke (+4), Stephen Gallacher (+6), Paul Lawrie and David Law (both +8) all missed out, while David Drysdale withdrew from the event due to injury.

● Defending champion Meghan Maclaren surged into contention for a second successive victory in the Women’s New South Wales Open.

Maclaren carded seven birdies and two bogeys in a second round of 66 at Queanbeyan Golf Club to reach six under par, three shots behind halfway leader Valdis Thora Jonsdottir from Iceland.

Scotland’s Michele Thomson is two shots further back in a tie for fourth place following a 69 while Comrie’s Carly Booth was one under and tied 19th.