Defending champion Branden Grace in driving seat after Paul Lawrie setback

Defending champion Branden Grace held a slender lead heading into the closing stages of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters as Paul Lawrie’s hopes of a third title suffered a major blow.

Lawrie took a two-shot lead into the final round and maintained that cushion by matching Grace’s birdie on the first, but bogeyed the second after his wayward drive ended up on the edge of a small bush.