Defending champion Garrick Porteous pushes Sciot-Siegrist in Abu Dhabi thriller
Defending champion and Dubai resident Garrick Porteous admitted that he was surprised by the sharpness of his game after surging into contention at the Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club.
The 35-year-old sits just two shots behind French leader Robin Sciot-Siegrist, who holds a one-stroke advantage over first-round leader, Spaniard Sebastian Garcia. Porteous is proving that class is permanent, even after stepping back from full-time competition at the end of last season.
The Englishman came into the week with modest expectations, having brought his 10-year full-time playing career to a close at the end of last season. Competing in his first HotelPlanner Tour event since October — and with only a handful of recent appearances on the Emirates PGA Tour — he has already exceeded his hopes
After opening with a solid three-under-par 67, Porteous followed up with an impressive six-under 64 on Friday, carding seven birdies and a single bogey to climb the leaderboard.
'I've surprised myself a little bit,' Porteous admitted. 'I had one swing thought coming into the week, and it's worked so far. Let's hope it continues over the weekend.'
'I played nicely out there. It's a lot tougher than last year — the greens are firm, the rough's up, and there's been a bit of wind in the afternoons. It's been a good test.'
Meanwhile, Sciot-Siegrist maintained a clean card to finish with a five-under 65, pushing him to 11-under for the tournament. Starting his round with six straight pars, the Frenchman picked up momentum around the turn and added birdies at 14 and 16.
'I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and deal with the pressure,' said Sciot-Siegrist. 'There's still a lot of golf to be played. I've been putting well and today was another solid round.'
Dealing with tricky conditions at Al Ain — including firm greens and challenging pin positions — Sciot-Siegrist was pleased to walk away bogey-free.
'With the wind and some tough shots out there, I'm very happy with no bogeys,' he added.
Crucial support for the tournament comes from Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Arena, Al Laith, and eGolf Megastore. Golf fans can attend the event free of charge, with top-class action continuing through the weekend.
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