Gallacher on the up in Oman as Neil digs deep to make cut
Six Scots still in Muscat mix after opening 36 holes
Stephen Gallacher produced one of the lowest rounds of the day and Bradley Neil staged an astonishing late fightback to be among six Scots to make it to the weekend in the NBO Oman Open.
As Frenchman Matthieu Pavon moved two shots clear of the field at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat after adding a 65 to his opening 68 to sit on 12 under par, Gallacher and Neil both bounced back manfully from sore finishes to their rounds on the first day.
Gallacher had been going along nicely, sitting on two under, before he followed a bogey at the 15th with a triplebogey 8 at the next, where the damage was done by a lost ball.
The 43-year-old took his revenge on that hole by making a birdie second time around, taking him to three under for the day after he’d also picked up shots at the 10th, his opening hole, and the 12th.
Gallacher, who is paying his first visit to the sultanate, added two more birdies – at the third and fourth – coming home as he carded a five-under 67, matching the score of playing partner Darren Clarke.
The Scot’s effort saw him jump 72 spots to joint 25th, making it four cuts out of four for him this year after struggling to find that sort consistency last season.
Also on three-under heading into the weekend in the first European Tour event to be held in Oman are Marc Warren (72) and Connor Syme (71) while David Drysdale (70) is on one-under.
Neil, who won his European Tour card on this course back in November, had been fourunder with five holes to play on the opening day before dropping six shots in four holes.
The 22-year-old then started his second round with a double-bogey 6 at the 10th on this Greg Norman-designed course and had slipped to five over after beginning his back nine with a bogey. But he then went birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie before also picking up two shots in the last three holes to come home in 30 as he signed for a 69 and a one-under total. “Pretty incredible,” Neil told
“I was obviously annoyed after the finish yesterday and, after the bogey on my 10th hole, I just completely opened up and played aggressive. It has to be the most impressive comeback I’ve ever recorded in tournament golf.”
Paul Lawrie, who was quick to praise Neil for his “great comeback”, had a frustrating time on the greens earlier in the day as he signed for a 73. “Hit it really good but putted woeful,” said the Aberdonian on Twitter.
Pavon, who finished 49th in last season’s Race to Dubai in his first year on the European Tour, made his best-of-the-day score in the second round by covering the front nine in 31, five-under.
The 25-year-old leads from Englishman Matt Southgate, who was also on 11-under before he finished with a double-bogey 6, with two other players from south of the Border, Chris Wood and Paul Waring, a shot further back in joint third.
Steven Troup, who hails from Portlethen but is now a teaching professional based in Oman, finished on 16-over after rounds of 77 and 83 on his European Tour debut.
Elsewhere, Borders-born Karis Davidson shone again on a big stage and was joined by Aberdonian Michele Thomson in making the cut in the ISPS Handa Australian Women’s Open in Adelaide.
A fortnight after finishing second in the Oates Vic Open, 19-year-old Davidson bounced back brilliantly from an opening 75 to card a three-under 69 on day two at Kooyonga Golf Club.
Helped by four birdies, Davidson is sitting joint 34th on level par as she continues to take new challenges in her stride in her rookie season in the professional ranks.
Thomson also started her second round sitting on threeover but she made it through to the weekend as well thanks to a battling 70 for one over.