By William Maxwell
Sheffield-born golfer Matthew Fitzpatrick is looking for an emphatic second round performance as play is suspended in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The 22 year-old lies in 13th position with a score of three under par after five holes.
The day’s proceedings had to be halted after strong winds struck the course, with three trees felled across the Emirates Golf Club, to the dismay of some golfers.
The @EmiratesGC lost three trees in the high winds today – near the 6th, 7th and 13th holes. @OMEGAGolfDubai @Sport360 #DDC17 @EuropeanTour
— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyofGolf) February 3, 2017
Fitzpatrick is currently six shots behind the leader, South African George Coetzee, and will have to pull out all the stops if he is to better his second place finish at last year’s tournament.
The man who beat him last year was a fellow Yorkshireman in Danny Willett, yet his performances hasn’t matched that of his compatriots. The world number 13 left after the fifth hole on par, but is one over par for the day.
Yorkshire has also been represented by two other golfers in this year’s event.
Simon Dyson has had a decent tournament thus far and isn’t too far behind Fitzpatrick, with a respectable two below par.
Dyson, from York, hasn’t had a professional tournament win since 2011, where he won his third KLM Open in The Netherlands.
Elsewhere, Chris Hanson has had a less than convincing display, currently lying in 80th position, three above par.
Like Dyson, Hanson hasn’t had won since 2011.