Mcilroy delighted his decision to take a break is already paying off
Ulsterman is still bogey-free and sits three shots behind frontrunner Pieters
Thomas Pieters is out in front at halfway in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship but his Ryder Cup partner is lurking ominously. In his first event for more than three months, Rory Mcilroy has negotiated 36 holes without a bogey and signed off round two by rolling in a 20-foot eagle putt.
That delighted a huge Friday crowd at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. It also put a big smile on Mcilroy’s face. After rounds of 69 and 66 to sit on nine-under, the 28-year-old is just three shots behind Pieters. Mcilroy is feeling confident, both about his title challenge here and the season in general.
“I didn’t know what my expectations were,” replied the Ulsterman to being asked if his performance so far had matched what he’d been looking for after taking the decision to shut down his 2017 early following the Dunhill Links last October to get himself properly prepared for this year.
“I was just coming out to play and happy to be here and happy to be on the golf course. I knew I was in good shape and I knew my game was right where it needed to be, but you never really know until you get a card in your hand. But the last two days have been really nice to see the body of work that I have put in over these last couple of months. It’s starting to pay off and I feel like I’m in a good position.”
He might need two more 66s to record a first title triumph in 16 months. Pieters, who struck up a successful partnership with Mcilroy in the last Ryder Cup, looks in the mood to use this event to lay down a marker in the battle for spots in September’s clash with the Americans in France. On a course that really suits him, the bighitting Belgian backed up an opening 67 with a 65 in the morning, when there was a spate of low-scoring in marginally easier conditions.
After a 64, Spaniard Jorge Campillo is a shot behind, while defending champion Tommy Fleetwood (68), fellow Englishman Ross Fisher (67) and Frenchman Alexander Levy (65) are all one further back. Four players alongside Mcilroy on nine under include two-time winner Paul Casey (65) on his European Tour return after a two-year exile in the US while world No 1 Dustin Johnson is also in the reckoning after a 64 lifted him to six under.
Playing in the same group, Mcilroy and Johnson fed off each other, especially on the back nine. If he’d been able to convert a string of good birdie chances, Mcilroy could easily have signed for a score in the low 60s. He had no complaints, though, and, helped by that eagle at the 18th, the four-time major winner’s tail is definitely up heading into the weekend.
“No bogeys in 2018,” he declared with a smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever gone bogeyfree for a whole tournament and it would be nice to do that. I’m right in the mix after two days and feel like I’ve got a really good chance this weekend.”
It might not be here but, just two rounds into his new season, Richie Ramsay is also feeling confident about adding to three European Tour titles in 2018. “Honestly, I am already thinking of winning a tournament,” he declared after carding a 70 to sit just outside the top 20 on six under.
“I’m normally a middle-toend-of-the-year player, but my game feels really good. I’ve got a little bit of extra length with the driver but am also keeping the accuracy with it. I’ve also got a free-flowing attitude and enjoying being out here again. Maybe that’s because I had a bit more time off. Maybe that is fuelling the fire to get back out.”
Only Ramsay and Stephen Gallacher from a seven-strong Scottish starting contingent made it to the weekend in the $3 million event. Gallacher, who’d also opened with a 68, is still on four-under after battling to a 72. “That was a day when I had to grind out a score and it feels as good doing that than when you play really well,” he said. “I think I had 11 single-putts and it was nice to finish with one for a birdie.”