GAVIN DEAR LYING JT FIFTH IN ABU DHABI

Murrayshall's Gavin Dear is the leading Scot in joint fifth place after two rounds of the second event on the MENA Tour, the Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open at the Saadiyat Beach Club. Dear followed up an opening round of par 72 with a three-under 69 for 142 to be seven shots behind the leader, Welshman Stephen Dodd. Dodd broke the course record with a first-round 66 and tagged on a 69 for 135 to lead by two shots from England's Ross McGowan and German Roland Steiner, both 68-69. Second-best Scot is Tom Buchanan with a pair of 72s for 144. PGA EuroPro Tour winner Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) bounced back from a first-day 78 to beat the cut by four shots after a 67 for 145. Also on that mark at Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) and Englishman Patrick Walker (Ballumbie Castle). Nicolson has shot 73-72 as has Walker. Last week's winner Zane Scotland is well down the field in this one after socores of 74 and 72 for 146. LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS Par 144 (2x72) 135 Stephen Dodd (Wal) 66 69 137 Ross McGowan (Eng) 68 69, Roland Steiner (Ger) 68 69 140 Tyler Hogarty (Eng) (am) 68 72 141 Berni Reiter (Aut) 71 70, Mitchell Slorach (Sing) 72 69, Gavin Dear (Sco) 71 69. 142 Trevor Marshall (NZ) 73 69, Alex Christie (Eng) 70 72, Simon Dunn (Sco) 73 69, William Harrold (Eng) 75 67. SELECTED SCORES 144 Tom Buchanan (Sco) 72 72 145 Greg Nicolson (Sco) 73 72, Patrick Walker (Eng) 73 72, Duncan Stewart (Sco) 78 67. 146 Steven Munro (Sco) 70 76, Callum Nicoll (Sco) 72 74, Zane Scotland (Eng) 74 72. MISSED THE CUT 151 Myles Cunningham (Sco) 76 75.