Scotland’s Craig Lee and Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello share the lead at the halfway stage of the Abu Dhabi Championship. It was a compelling day, and it saw Rory McIlroy move to within two shots of the lead, while Phil Mickelson battled successfully to make the cut in this opening event of the European Tour’s Middle East Swing.
36-year-old Lee, from Stirling, is seeking his maiden victory on the Tour, having lost in a playoff to Thomas Bjorn in September at the Omega European Masters. The Scot had established the clubhouse lead after a second round of 67 complimented his opening 68 to leave him at nine-under.
“I think Santa has brought me a good putting stroke for Christmas,” Lee said.
“My brother installed an AstroTurf putting green in my front garden at the end of last year and that's made a difference as I've been able to keep putting every day. It's 20 feet by 14 feet and the neighbours have been peering over the fence.”
Cabrera-Bello, who won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic two years ago, was part of the three-way tie for the lead at the end of Thursday, and had moved to ten-under before dropping a shot at his final hole to fall back into a tie with Lee.
However, it all added up to a second round of 68, and the Spaniard is in high spirits with his performance thus far in his opening event of the year.
“I am playing well, putting good, and putting the ball in play, hitting the fairways and so I'm feeling confident,” he said.
“Pretty much I'm just happy with the way I'm playing with all of the clubs in the bag. There's nothing that I'm complaining about at the moment.”
England’s Danny Willett produced the round of the week thus far, with a scintillating total of 63 moving him up from the verge of the cutline to third on the leaderboard at eight-under. Yesterday, the 26-year-old was five-over after his opening ten holes, before embarking on a stunning comeback that has seen him play his last 26 holes in 13-under.
“To be honest I've not done a massive amount different,” Willett said. “If you miss a fairway by two or three yards and get a bad lie you've got no way to get to some of these greens.
“Today I played nice, hit it a little closer and hit a few more fairways and rolled a few putts in. I holed a wedge from 50 yards on eight (for eagle) which helps and the last 20-odd holes have been pretty good.”
However, most eye were on Rory McIlroy, as he continued to show the form that has seen him win two major championships. The 24-year-old, who has fallen to a three-year low of seventh in the world, after a disappointing 2013, produced a stunning back-nine of 31 to complete a second round of 67 that leaves him ominously just two shots off the lead at seven-under.
“Standing there 30 yards ahead of everyone else is nice," McIlroy said in reference to his driving. “When you are confident with the driver it takes a lot of pressure off your game.
“I got a few putts to drop on the back nine which was nice and I feel like I have a great chance of winning.
“It would be nice to win your first start of the season rather than your last start. It's exactly what I wanted. It's a great way to test your game under pressure. With a strong start to the year you can really get some momentum.”
Last year, the former world number one was despondent after missing the cut following consecutive rounds of 75. It’s a different story this week however, with the Northern Irishman considerably more confident after a late-season resurgence last year that saw him overcome Adam Scott to win the Australian Open.
Playing alongside American legend Phil Mickelson, who made the cut at one-under, Rory’s performance certainly impressed the five-time major champion.
“The back nine was really impressive, a beautiful nine holes of golf,” Mickelson said. “He is really striking the ball well. His game looks really sharp and his driving was impeccable.”
Alongside McIlroy at seven-under is Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, who is enjoying the best form he has shown for a decade. The 42-year-old currently leads the Race to Dubai, with the next three weeks hugely crucial in terms of the money list and Ryder Cup points.
Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez is also on that figure after a round of 66, while the talented Tommy Fleetwood made the most of his opportunity to impress playing partner Paul McGinley with a round of 65. However, there was to be confusion for the European Ryder Cup Captain, with Fleetwood and playing partner Thorbjorn Olesen both sporting the same Nike apparel.
“He kept saying good shot but he never knew which one it was,” said Fleetwood, who won the Johnnie Walker Championship at this year’s Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles back in August.
“He kept throwing a name out there and we're like 'No, no, Paul, it was the other one.'
“I played with him in Holland last year as well and scrapped it around there for two days so to finally play some good golf is good.”
With the huge prize funds on offer during these three weeks, it is a hugely crucial period for players such as Fleetwood who are attempting to break into the Team for September. However, the 22-year-old is excited by the prospect.
“It's every single European golfer's dream to play in a Ryder Cup, you watch it every year on TV and get so motivated by it you want to go out and fight someone when you're watching it.
“It's the best sporting event in the world but at the moment it's one thing I am trying to keep at the back of my mind.”
In the forefront of Craig Lee and Rafael Cabrera-Bello’s mind will be trying to keep ahead of the likes of Rory McIlroy, who will be aiming to hunt them down on Saturday in the desert.