Stephen Gallacher, Eddie Pepperell one off the lead at Qatar Masters
Sunday 25 February 2018 00:32, UK
Stephen Gallacher fired a bogey-free 66 to get within a shot of the lead at the halfway stage of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The former Ryder Cup star posted six birdies in calm conditions at Doha GC to join the group of four players on 10 under, one back from clubhouse leader Adrian Otaegui.
Otaegui birdied his final three holes to close a second-round 66 and set the pace, with Gallacher tied-second alongside Eddie Pepperell, Gregory Havret and Erik Van Rooyen.
"I think it was quite tricky, especially on the front nine", Gallacher told Sky Sports. "I just played solid and gave myself plenty of chances,"
Beginning the day three strokes off the pace, Gallacher birdied the par-five first and added gains at the third and ninth to reach the turn in 33.
The Scot drained a 50-foot birdie at the 13th and picked up another shot from eight feet at the par-four next, before closing his round with a penultimate-hole gain.
Pepperell birdied two of his final three holes to close a second-round 69 and also get to 10 under, with Van Rooyen carding four straight gains around the turn and Havret signing for a bogey-free round to also stay within one of the lead.
Oliver Fisher sits in the group on nine under that also includes Sean Crocker - who eagled two of his final three holes - with Jamie Donaldson four strokes off the pace after a joint-low round-of-the-day 65.
Raphael Jacquelin holed out for an albatross from the 10th fairway on his way to a six-under 66, while defending champion Jeunghun Wang missed the cut on one under for the tournament.
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Watch the Qatar Masters throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 9am on Sky Sports Golf.
