In-form Rafael Cabrera-Bello continued to impress in Doha by surging into the lead at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters are a second round of 65.
The 29-year-old Spaniard, who has won twice on the European Tour, would make eight birdies on Thursday at Doha Golf Club as he moved two shots clear of South African George Coetzee at the halfway stage. The sole blemish would come at the sixth, but Cabrera-Bello’s 65 complimented his 66 on Wednesday to position him at 13-under for the tournament.
The former winner of the Dubai Desert Classic held the 36-hole lead last week in Abu Dhabi, before finishing in fourth with compatriot Pablo Larrazabal claiming the title. He would take a grip on the this tournament following five birdies in his closing seven holes as he completed the back-nine in a stunning 31.
That surge towards the finish saw him overhaul day one leader George Coetzee, who posted 11-under following a second round of 69 earlier in the day. However, it is the Spaniard who leads, and he will be hoping for a different result to last week.
“I don't think 13 is an unlucky number for around this course”, said Cabrera-Bello.
“I'm really happy, really pleased, and everything's going good - I'm enjoying myself.
“I like playing in short sleeves a lot, I like a little bit of breeze, I like seeing palm trees, I like seeing sun around the courses. It does remind me a lot from the Canaries, and I start playing at the end of the year here, and I don't feel that I've left home, so that's why I enjoy it so much.”
Looking ahead to the challenge leading by two shots with 36-holes remaining, Cabrera-Bello intends to continue enjoying himself out on the course.
“I do my normal routine, and tomorrow is just a new day,” he said. “We start from scratch, play one shot at a time and just go out there and keep enjoying myself.
“I've been doing it for this week and last week a lot, so just enjoy the opportunity of being up there, being in contention, that every shot mattered and just savour that and try to perform as good as I know I can.”
Last year, Coetzee, who is seeking his maiden European Tour victory, finished second as Chris Wood triumphantly eagled the final hole to finish one shot ahead of the South African and Sergio Garcia.
“I enjoy this place and will be trying to do one better than last year,” said the 27-year-old who would make seven birdies on Thursday, after coming unstuck early in the day with a double bogey on the 11th.
“I just had a bit of a wobble on the 11th, my second hole, but otherwise I played pretty nicely. There are some bogeys out there but there's definitely some birdies to recover from.”
The English pair of Steve Webster and Matthew Baldwin are in a tie for third alongside 2013 Challenge Tour graduate Johan Carlsson who impressed with a second round of 65.
It was perhaps a less exciting day for the 39-year-old Webster, who made history by recording an albatross on his opening hole on Wednesday, but the two-time European Tour winner settled for a second round of 69 that leaves him at 10-under and very much in contention.
“I had the perfect yardage for my five wood again but just pulled it a bit and hit it to 40 feet,” Webster joked at the prospect of repeating the albatross on the 10th today. “It was in my mind again and I thought back-to-back would be nice but it didn't happen.
“I was a bit disappointed how I played today, I warmed up great on the range at 5:30am but I never quite got going on the course. To shoot 69 I have scrambled a little bit.”
Much of that scrambling was aided by improved putting, with Webster revealing that he worked with Damian Taylor, the coach of last week’s winner Pablo Larrazabal.
“It would be nice to do the double,” Webster said. “We did a lot of work Monday and Tuesday on my putting, probably six hours, and changed the shaft in my putter for a little bit more feel and it's working well this week. If you can make a few putts it makes all the difference out here.”
Two-time major champion John Daly is among those five shots back at eight-under. The 47-year-old, who played last week in California on the PGA Tour, shot a second round of 69 to compliment his 67 from Wednesday.
A shot behind the colourful American is two-time winner of the Qatar Masters, Paul Lawrie, who shot a round of 70 on Thursday. The 1999 Open Champion endured a miserable 2013, and he is hoping to repeat victory here that has twice propel him onto the European Ryder Cup team.
European Number One Henrik Stenson suffered a frustrating day, making just two birdies as he settled for a 71 to leave him at five-under. The Swede’s playing partners Jason Dufner and Luke Donald are back at three-under, with the halfway cut falling at level par and signalling early exists for Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Bjorn and Pablo Larrazabal.
Last week, it was Larrazabal’s to savour, and Cabrera-Bello will be hoping that his 36-hole hole is the foundation that will see him continue the Spanish dominance in the Middle East.