SCOTLAND'S Paul Lawrie credited a putting tip from compatriot Marc Warren for getting him in pole position for a third victory in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Lawrie’s first win in Qatar came in 1999, the same year as his Open triumph at Carnoustie, with the second in 2012 helping him secure a Ryder Cup return at Medinah after an absence of 13 years.
The 47-year-old also won the Johnnie Walker Championship in 2012 and, although he has not tasted victory on the European Tour since, a second round of 66 at Doha Golf Club gave him the lead on 11 under par, one shot ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolas Colsaerts.
“Marc Warren had a wee look at me when I missed the cut in Abu Dhabi and he said the same as everyone else,” Lawrie explained.
“My putting stroke is too long, it needs to be a little shorter and a little quicker, so I’ve been working on it the last couple days and certainly feels as though I’ve got it.
“I hit a lot of putts when I missed the cut last week. All day Sunday I did a lot of work and then came here and I’ve hit thousands of putts since I got here.
“So it’s only taken a couple days and it feels comfortable.”
Starting on the back nine, Lawrie birdied the 10th and 12th before dropping just his second shot of the week on the 15th, but bounced back with birdies on the 16th and 18th to reach the turn in 33.
England’s Andrew Johnston, Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello and France’s Gregory Bourdy are a shot further back, Bourdy’s 68 featuring a hole-in-one on the eighth - the first in the history of the event.
Former champion Sergio Garcia is one of five players a shot further back on eight under after adding a 66 to his opening 70 despite again missing a number of good birdie chances.
The world number 12 partially made amends by holing a curling putt from 40 feet on the eighth.
