In the searing heat of the UAE, the 37-year-old suffered a nightmare start to his round.
He took a triple bogey EIGHT at the second hole and dropped a further two shots before the turn.
A much better inward nine brought a steady succession of pars and a birdie two on the 12th.
But the Scot finished well down the field, tied for 114th, and he now has a huge mountain to climb if he is to avoid missing the cut for the second week in a row.
Germany’s Martin Kaymer leads the tournament.
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