ONE STROKE CLEAR AFTER HALF THE FIELD COULDN’T FINISH ROUND DUE TO FOG DELAY
amie Donaldson added a three under 69 to an opening 62 to maintain a one-stroke lead at 13 under par on day two of the fog-delayed Omega Dubai Desert Classic yesterday.
Due to the early morning mist, which forced a two-hour, 50-minute delay in tee-off times, half the field didn’t finish their second rounds because they ran out of light towards the end of the day. They will now have to return early today to finish before starting their third rounds.
Luckily Donaldson did complete his second round, as did Haotong Li, who is a stroke behind on 12 under, after adding a second consecutive 66 to his card.
Branden Grace — who also finished his round — is another stroke off at 11 under after adding a blemish-free 65, to an earlier 68. Grace is tied for third with Alex Bjork, who still has six holes of his round to complete.
“Following 62 up with a 69 is a solid score,” said Donaldson, who shot two birdies on either nine with a bogey on 11.
“I have backed up low scores like that with another low one, but today it wasn’t to be.
“I could have played the par fives a little bit better. If you shoot three under on the par fives instead of, what was it, one? Then it’s a different day. But yeah, three under, I’m quite happy.
“I played nicely, it can always be better can’t it? But only one bogey. I wanted to try and go flag hunting a little bit, which maybe I shouldn’t have done, but I’m happy with how I played.
“I don’t know where it will be at the end of the day,” added the early finisher. “But I’m just concentrating on me and concentrating on putting that ball in those small fairways, taking chances from there. It’s a tricky golf course and you’ve got to manage your way around well. I did that well today again, as I did yesterday.”
Two-time Dubai winner Rory McIlroy couldn’t finish his round due to light but is only three strokes back at 10 under, tied for fifth, with seven holes left to play of his second round, which will be completed on Saturday morning.
Good position
“I’m in a good position,” said the Northern Irishman, who shot three early birdies and a bogey on eight before birdieing just after the turn to finish the day at three under through 11.
“It was hard waiting all day to go out there but I got off to a really good start, three-under through five, then made my first bogey of the week on the eighth, which was a bad tee shot. I nearly got away with a par but dropped a shot.
“It was nice to get a shot back there on 10 at the end of the round. Hopefully I can come out in the morning and make a few more birdies and get closer to the lead.”