Djokovic eyes record 6th Indian Wells Masters title PAGE 13 SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2019 THREE-WAY TIE AT THE TOP Lorenzo-Vera shares the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters lead with Coetzee & Harding; 72 players make the cut; Lawson fires an ace Former winner Fichardt fires his DGC best TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK winner of five European Tour ti- DOHA tles winner went about the busi- ness today with a flourish and WITH a strong wind blowing he had got on par within first six most of the field on the second holes! He had a further gain on day of the Commercial Bank the eighth before adding three Qatar Masters, former winner more on his return trip at the Darren Fichardt stood firm 13th, 14th and 16th holes. and conjured his best-ever Fichardt, whose fifth title round to extend his stay at the came in the Joburg Open in Doha Golf Club on Friday. 2017, said he had some posi- After carding a four- tive feelings even before he had over par on the first day, the started hitting the ball today. (Left) Leaders Mike Lorenzo-Vera of France hits a tee shot and George Coetzee of South Africa drives the ball during the second day of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at the 43-year-old South African, “Yesterday, I hit the ball really Doha Golf Club on Friday. (PHOTOGRAPHS: JALAL PATHIYOOR) who had missed the cut last well, but I putted horrendously. year despite managing a three- I was very disappointing on the TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK wake up call and I lost a bit of 6-under-par, including Scot- under total, had needed some- greens yesterday. But I found DOHA focus, but that was the only land’s Richie Ramsay, Belgian thing magical today to remain something on the greens be- difference compared to yester- Nicolas Colsaerts and Austral- in the mix. fore I teed off and I managed to FRENCH Mike Lorenzo-Vera day.” ia’s Deyen Lawson, who made Indeed he came up with a make a nice putt for birdie on and South African pair of Jus- Harding joined Lorenzo- a memorable hole-in-one at hot bogey-free eight under 64 to the first hole. tin Harding and George Coet- Vera after a strong finish to his the 17th. share the 22nd spot with 13 oth- “I just carried on and it all zee had an identical 68 for two round. The 33-year-old made The ace was Lawson’s ers, including overnight leader started getting bigger and big- successive days and shared the three birdies in a row after the second in the space of a few Justin Walters and last year’s ger. I wasn’t releasing. I was try- lead on 8-under-par heading turn before another gain at months having won a BMW runner-up Oliver Fisher. ing to hit up on it to start the ball into the weekend at the Com- the par-3 17th saw him get to 850M for one at the Alfred The group is four strokes off rolling sooner, but I was hitting mercial Bank Qatar Masters. 8-under. Dunhill Championship in De- the leading trio of Mike Loren- it down into the grain and it was At the Doha Golf Club, Lor- “I’m very happy,” said cember. However, there was zo-Vera, South Africans Justin jumping all over the place,” he enzo-Vera started his Friday’s Harding. “It was a tough day no prize on offer for his ace at Harding and George Coetzee. added. action with a birdie on the starting out but the wind set- the 17th today. This has been Fichardt’s best Talking about his long as- tenth hole but suffered a mid- tled down a bit later on. I hit “It’s always nice when you round for a day in 16 appearanc- sociation with the Doha Golf round stutter before bouncing some good shots and could get a ‘one’,” said Lawson. “The es in Doha, beating his previous Club, he said, “The guys here back with birdies on both the have holed a couple more putts prize I won for the ace at Leop- lowest of 66, which had helped have been giving me a lot of up- par-3s on the front nine. but I’m happy to put myself in ard Creek was a massive deal him to win the Qatar Masters hill this week, saying how much South Africa has more wins this position after two days and - winning the car was huge. crown way back in 2003. hair I had. I can’t believ it’s been at this event than any other we’ll see what happens.” Today, after it went in I looked After a 13 under 275 aggre- 16 years since I last lifted the country with five and Coetzee Coetzee rode his momen- behind me and saw the big ad- gate each, he and his compatriot trophy here. Time has certainly and Harding will be looking tum into day two, reaching vert for the hotel and I joked to Justin Kingston were locked at flown.” to extend that advantage, al- 8-under with a lengthy birdie my caddie ‘I’ve won the hotel’. the top. But Fichardt held his Swede Anton Karlsson and though a rejuvenated Loren- putt on the par-3 8th, his pe- It’s always exciting. It was the nerves and edged Kingston off Australian upstart Min Woo Lee zo-Vera will be aiming to stop nultimate hole, and he made Justin Harding of South Africa chips the ball on way to sharing the same club - an 8-iron - and I the very first hole in the sudden- came up with the next best cards them and claim a first French a tricky par save on the 9th to lead on the second day at the Doha Golf Club on Friday. hit it solid but thought it was death playoff to record the vic- of the day, getting six under each victory. keep his card blemish-free. going to come up a bit short - tory – his biggest till date. to have a chance to showcase “Today I had a lack of en- “I’m happy to be playing the event as he doesn’t have middle of the greens. so to see it go in was nice.” In his 374th career start, the their game till the weekend. ergy in the middle of the round some better golf, making some full status on the European “I’m just trying to improve. Three of the past seven – I had a three putt from eight putts and hitting some good Tour after finishing outside I’m really pleased with what champions present in the field metres for eagle at the 18th and shots,” said Coetzee, who has the top-15 on last year’s Chal- I’ve done in the last year, I’m were able to make the cut, then made bogey on the 1st af- scored four top ten finishes lenge Tour ranking. However, moving in the right direction which placed at one under ter a poor tee shot and an even in the Qatar Masters but has he took full advantage with a and getting more confidence par. Darren Fichardt (2003), worse lay-up,” said Lorenzo- missed his last two cuts on the 68 today following a 69 yester- in my game. There’s still a long Robert Karlsson (2010) and Vera. “But I’m happy with how European Tour. day to sit alongside three other way to go but, hopefully, the European Ryder Cup captain I handled it and played my way “I’m in a better place men- players on 7-under-par. results will come and at the Thomas Bjorn (2011) stay here back into the round.” tally. I played well in parts in “I’m very pleased and to end of the year I can look back, till the weekend, while double “It was nice at the begin- the WGC-Mexico Champion- be bogey-free for two days is be pleased, and have a sched- winner Paul Lawrie, Alvaro ning. We were downwind on ship and hit some good shots something I’m delighted with,” ule for next year.” Quiroz, Jeunghun Wang and the 10th, so I had a short sec- in Oman last week - mixed in said Wilson, who won twice on Wilson is joined by South Chris Wood failed to advance. ond shot into the green which with a couple of blunders - but the Challenge Tour last year. Africa’s Erik Van Rooyen, Ja- Local players Saleh al were really good - very grainy, I feel like things are falling into “I have experience around this pan’s Masahiro Kawamura Kaabi, Jaham al Kuwari and but still very fair. It was just place this week.” course, which helps, and I’ve and Spaniard Adri Arnaus one Mikkel Mathiesen, the Qatar a bit harder in the middle of England’s Oliver Wilson been playing solid, hitting a stroke off the leaders while a Open winner, also fared badly the round. It was a really early was the last man to qualify for lot of fairways and finding the group of eight players are on at the wind-swept course. Darren Fichardt of South Africa revives his old magic on Friday. World champion Marquez sets Losail record in FP2 The 26-year-old clocked clear of FP1’s fastest man Ro- Vinales second; Miller stuns and 1:53.380 in his 16th of mano Fenati (Snipers Team).