David Law has a mountain to climb in the Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open at Saadiyat Golf Club if he is to rival his two second-place finishes over the past fortnight.
He has begun this week's 54-hole tournament with a three-over-par 75 and is in joint 38th place, seven shots behind leader England's Craig Hinton.
"My long game today was poor and on a golf course of this length you can't afford to be hitting it badly and still expect to score," said the 22-year-old Aberdonian.
But he's not ready to throw the towel in!
"So all to play for on Tuesday and a good score can get me right back into it for the last day."
Leading Scot in the field of 114 players for the $50,000 event is Clarke Lutton in joint fifth place with a 71.Rookie pro Fraser McKenna (Balmore) in joint 29th on 73, one shot ahead of another Scot who recently turn pro, Pollok's Conor ONeil in joint 27th position.
Tom Buchanan is alongside Law in joint 38th place.
ABU DHABI GOLF CITIZEN OPEN
Saadiyat Golf Club, Abu Dhabi
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
68 Craig Hinton (Eng)
69 Nicholas Mullhaupt (Swi), Stuart Archibald (Eng).
70 Antonio Arjona Baenu (Spa)
SCOTS SCORES
71 Clarke Lutton (T5)
73 Fraser McKenna (T19)
74 Conor O'Neil (T27)
75 David Law, Tom Buchanan (T38).
78 Ted Innes Ker (T75)
80 Greg Nicolson (T90)
89 Graeme Stewart (T110).
Published by scottishgolfview.com