Return to form fires Molinari into share of the lead in Abu Dhabi

Francesco Molinari’s welcome resurgence gathered pace as the former Open champion claimed a share of the lead in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

A second consecutive 67 at Yas Links gave Molinari a halfway total of 10 under par matched only by compatriot Guido Migliozzi, who birdied his final three holes to return a 69.

Molinari won three times in 2018, including the Open at Carnoustie and BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, before becoming the first European player to compile a perfect 5-0 record in that year’s Ryder Cup.

The 40-year-old also held a two-shot lead with seven holes to play in the 2019 Masters before hitting his tee shot on the 12th into Rae’s Creek, and has not had a top-three finish in a strokeplay event since winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational a month earlier.

However, Molinari was unbeaten in captaining Continental Europe to victory in the Hero Cup win last week and recovered from dropping three shots in two holes to mark six birdies in an inward half of 30.

“I’m very pleased,” Molinari said. “Same score as Thursday, but very different day. Many more ups and downs. A couple of three-putts, a couple of mental errors but also lots of good stuff, a couple of long putts made.

“Obviously a very good back nine, which is nice. I think where I’m at at the moment, when you go through a tough patch, it’s nice to see I can pick it up again.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself. It’s a couple of good rounds but I know, I’m aware of where I’m coming from. The game feels different. I think it looks different, too. But yeah, it’s just two rounds, so a long way to go.”

The obvious goal for Molinari this year is a fourth Ryder Cup appearance on home soil in Rome, and he admitted: “It would be incredible.

“There’s many months to go. It’s obviously nice to start the season this way. I never needed a pick for my three Ryder Cups, so it would be nice not to need a pick again this year.”

Dundee-based Frenchman Victor Perez and Scott Jamieson join former Open champion Shane Lowry in the group of players two strokes further back.

Grant Forrest and Marc Warren are on five under after rounds of 68 and 67 respectively.

Robert MacIntyre and Ewen Ferguson are one shot further back.

Aberdonian Richie Ramsay is three under, while Fife’s Connor Syme carded a 74 to sit two under.

Italian Francesco Molinari carded his second 67.