Australia Day, his 32nd birthday and making the cut at Emirates Golf Club for the first time in six attempts – it was some day for Andrew Dodt.
The passionate Australian followed up his -5 under par opening round 67 with a -3 under par 69 on day two at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic Friday.
It gave him a share of 14th place going into moving day. And even though a double bogey on his final hole, the ninth, which would have placed him three shots off the lead in fifth alongside Rory McIlroy and Miguel Angel Jimenez, instead left him five shots back, the birthday boy was happy to have his cake and eat it.
“I’m not really worried about the last hole. It was 35 holes of solid golf so if you make a mistake or two around this course, you just have to accept it and move on,” said the Brisbane native, ranked 188th in the world.
“It was a little disappointing to finish the way I did but it’s a tricky hole and if you’re off by three or four yards you get penalised. And I paid the price.”
Dodt, who turned professional in 2007, missed successive cuts here from 2011-13 as well as the last two years, so he’s ecstatic to be in the running for this year’s title.
“It’s the first time I’ve made the cut in (six) years so I don’t know what course I was playing the last (six) years, but it’s nice to make it to four rounds finally,” he said.
“I’m two rounds in so another solid two would be nice to set the year up. I’m pleased with today’s round but I’ve got to get on with it.”
Dodt was all smiles after finishing his round, despite the poor end to it. That might have had something to do with the birthday cake he was presented with in the mixed zone.
His score, and his performance over the first two days in Dubai, is something that made an already special day even more poignant.
“I’m a massive Aussie fan and a proud Aussie but you can’t beat a birthday,” added Dodt, buoyed by a fervent following he had around the course from a sizeable Australian community here in Dubai.
“There was a guy roaring and clapping everything in to the hole. He was really aggressive but it’s good. You don’t get that support all year so it’s nice to have it here.”
Dodt, who is staying with a friend from home who lives in Dubai, said he would celebrate his achievement accordingly, while keeping in mind he’s in the unfamiliar position of having a trophy to fight for.
“Australia Day for me and most Aussies, it’d normally be beach in the morning, barbecue at lunch and just that all day.
“It’s a massive day in Australia and if it’s good weather, everyone goes to the beach, has a barbecue. That’s normally what I’d be doing but I’ve got a tournament to play.”
