Golf

Paul Dunne fires 66 to join leading pack in Abu Dhabi

Three-time winner Martin Kaymer takes lead in the desert

Ireland’s Paul Dunne plays his second shot on the ninth hole during the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images

Fri Jan 20 2017 - 20:53

An eagle three at the 18th – his ninth – fired Paul Dunne into contention at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as Germany’s Martin Kaymer, a three-time winner of the event, took over on top after the second round.

Dunne also carded five birdies and just a single bogey to sign for a six-under 66 and move to 10 under, two shots off Kaymer’s lead, after he also shot a 66.

First-round leader Henrik Stenson fell back down the leaderboard, the Swede only managing a one-under 71 to sit in a share of sixth position on nine under.

Greystones golfer Dunne shares third position with England’s Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (68), with Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello alone in second spot on 11 under.

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Dunne, who has shown good form so far in the wraparound season, is looking forward to being among the late starters in the third round. He tees off at 11.59am local time (7.59am Irish time) alongside Aphibarnrat and Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal.

“It’s nice to be up there again, that’s why we practice and what we prepare for,” said the 24-year-old.

“It’s going to be nice to be in one of the later groups tomorrow and hopefully I can play like I did the last couple of days over the weekend and I think I’ll have a good chance.”

Guilty conscience

A guilty conscience paid dividends for Kaymer as he surged into the halfway lead. The two-time major winner lifted the trophy in Abu Dhabi in 2008, 2010 and 2011, but amazingly blew a 10-shot lead in the final round in 2015 and remains without a victory since the 2014 US Open.

That meant Kaymer reverted to his winter practice regime in America for the first time in three years, a decision which helped produce an eagle on the par-five eighth and six birdies in a back nine of 31.

“I’m not quite 100 per cent happy yet with the way I played, but we always have those little things if you’re a perfectionist,” Kaymer said. “But overall it paid off fairly well so far.

“I felt like I played a little better than yesterday, because it was a bit more difficult with the wind. I struck the ball with a little better quality but made a few long putts, the same as yesterday.

“I don’t try to push at all, I just try to enjoy playing my favourite golf course. Once in a while a long putt drops in and you get some momentum and then maybe you can make another three or four birdies coming in like it happened today. Pushing, I have bad experience with pushing.”

Cabrera Bello had held the lead for much of the day after adding a 66 to his opening 67.

Despite failing to convert numerous winning positions since the last of his two European Tour victories in Dubai in 2012, Cabrera Bello said: “I’m in no hurry, I know it will come, I just obviously wish it to come sooner than later.”

Defending champion Rickie Fowler and US Open champion Dustin Johnson safely made the cut on four under after matching rounds of 68, but Masters champion Danny Willett had just four players below him after a 76 which included a quadruple-bogey nine on the 10th. Willett finished alongside his Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke.

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