Lawrie’s one stroke penalty, in dropping a ball onto his marker at the 10th of the Doha Golf Club course, saw 1999 Qatar champion end with a 67 to be leading by just one stroke on 12-under par.

Belgium’s big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts (68) is next best on seven under par while Glasgow’s Marc Warren (68) is well placed and tied with double Major winner John Daly (73) and Aussie Jason Day (72) on four under par.

Lawrie immediate reaction on the 10th was to check with his playing partners and the three caddies if they’d seen his 10 pence coin move.

His next step was to quiz the two SKY Sports TV cameramen following the group to ascertain whether they’d filmed him marking the ball.

Given they hadn’t Lawrie then sought a ruling from Chief Referee, Andy McFee.

“Andy McFee said you have to be 100% sure the coin didn’t move," said Lawrie.

“I wasn’t 100% sure and nobody else saw it and at the time I was looking at the hole, so you just have to take the one stroke penalty and kick on.

“It just one of these freak, stupid rules.

“There is so many rules like that and it’s impossible to get the rules perfect because it so many but it’s one of those where, even if the coin moved, I am not trying to gain an advantage.

“It was just an accident and it was like (Ian) Poulter in Dubai the year before last. It’s just one of those many rules that could do with changing a wee bit.

“Nobody purposely throws a ball on a coin to knock it closer to the hole but it happens and there’s not much you can do.”

Instead of a birdie the one stroke penalty meant Lawrie walking off with a par and then also revealed it’s the second week in succession he’s been clumsy in returning his ball to the green.

“Fortunately last week in Abu Dhabi I got lucky in Abu Dhabi as Johan Edfors caddy saw it and he was adamant my coin hadn’t moved so there was no penalty," added the Scot..

“But my job now is to get onto the first tee tomorrow and hit the best drive I can and move on from.

“Certainly I will have no thoughts of what happened today.”

Lawrie had arrived in Doha lying 78th in the world and while eager to secure another Race to Dubai success he was keen to break into the top-64 on the world rankings that would assure him a place in next month’s $US 8.5m WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship in Arizona.

However a victory in Qatar would send Lawrie to around 44th in the world and into April’s Masters.