SHANE LOWRY IS the leading Irish player at the Abu Dhabi Championship at the halfway mark, three shots off the lead held by the Italian pair of Francesco Molinari and Guido Migliozzi.
Lowry shot a two-under par 70 today to go to seven-under for the tournament and leave him in a tie for ninth. His round could have been better, he was at nine-under after 12 holes, but dropped a few shots late on, although he made an impressive bogey putt on the 18th.
The Offaly native, who carded a 67 yesterday, began with three birdies and a bogey on his front nine, before he picked up shots on the 11th and 12th to move to four-under for his day’s work. Dropped shots followed on the 13th and 15th, he grabbed a birdie on the 16th before that bogey on the last.
Seamus Power stalled today after his 66 yesterday, a second round of one-over 73 leaving him on five-under and in a tie for 22nd. He had three birdies and four bogeys, including one at the last like Lowry, in his round.
Tom McKibbin made real progress, he is three-under after 16 before play was suspended overnight with the Round 2 action to finish off at 7.15am local time tomorrow. He has no bogeys to date in his second round with birdies arriving on the 1st, 2nd and 7th holes.
He is three-under for the tournament, the same standing as Padraig Harrington who had a round of one-over 73 today. Harrington had three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on the 10th in his round.
The cut is projected to see those at two-under and above to be safe for the weekend play at Yas Links.
Molinari shot a second successive 67 today while Migliozzi’s round was 69. The par are one shot clear of Jason Scrivener on nine-under.
