Mcilroy in contention as Donaldson leads in Dubai

Jamie Donaldson remains the man to catch after a weatheraffected second day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, with Rory Mcilroy well placed in the chasing pack.

After fog delayed the start of play by two hours and 50 minutes, Donaldson added a 69 to his opening 62 at Emirates Golf Club to set the clubhouse target at 13 under par.

That gave the 42-year-old Welshman a one-shot lead over China’s Li Haotong, who completed a second successive 66, with South Africa’s Branden Grace a shot further back following a 65.

Sweden’s Alexander Bjork is also 11 under with six holes remaining.

A late double bogey meant 54-year-old Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez had to settle for a 68 to finish 10 under par alongside South Africa’s Thomas Aiken, with Mcilroy on the same score with seven holes to play.

With play suspended, the cut hasn’t been confirmed but Fifer Connor Syme’s four under par total should be enough to ensure he will be playing at the weekend.

Donaldson, who had flirted with carding the first 59 on the European Tour on Thursday, understandably struggled to reproduce that sort of scoring, but recorded four birdies and a solitary bogey in pursuit of a first win since December 2015.

Mcilroy made a flying start to his second round with three birdies in the first five holes, before dropping his first shot of the week following a wayward drive on the eighth.

The four-time major winner, who marked his first competitive start since October with a tie for third in Abu Dhabi last week, bounced back with a birdie on the 10th and parred the next before play was suspended for the day.

The second round is scheduled to resume at 7.30am local time today.

Connor Syme tees off on the eighth hole yesterday.