Second round:Wentworth residents Ross Fisher and Ernie Els moved to the head of affairs in a rain-delayed Dubai Desert Classic with Graeme McDowell the best of the Irish just four shots off the pace.
Fisher, who hails from Ascot and represents the famous Virginia Water Club, carded a second successive seven-under-par 65 to lead the field on 14 under par.
But the 26-year-old former mechanic is just two shots clear of South African and fellow Wentworth professional Els, who eagled the par-five 13th to get to within two shots of him when darkness brought play to an end.
While Fisher was safely billeted in his hotel after carding eight birdies and just one bogey, Els was one of 48 players who will have to return to the Emirates Golf Club this morning to complete their second rounds.
The world number five picked up three birdies in his first four holes before the delay, and came back out to birdie the ninth and then eagle the 13th to close the gap.
McDowell, meanwhile, was not quite as sharp in carding a three-under-par 69 to go with his opening 65. But the Ulsterman is well placed in a share of third with Swedes Henrik Stenson and Peter Hanson on 10 under par.
The player they all have to beat is still defending champion Tiger Woods, who again complained about his putting but is just five shots off the pace alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain on nine under after a 67.
Fisher, meanwhile, faces the biggest test of his fledgling career over the weekend, but declared he is not fazed by the prospect of being paired with Woods or Els in the closing rounds.
"This weekend could be the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of," he said. "At the end of the day, this is what we want to try and do. That's what I want to try and achieve, to win golf tournaments, that's why I turn up."
McDowell hopes to make a move himself over the final two rounds.
"You've got to be shooting five or six under par to be feeling good at all out there," McDowell said. "After yesterday, it's hard to follow a good round up, so I am content with 69. Four back going into the weekend is a nice place to be."
At Emirates GC
(Irish in bold, British unless stated,
par 72; 48 players to finish this morning)
130 - R Fisher 65 65. 134 - P Hanson (Swe) 69 65, Graeme McDowell (N Ire) 65 69. 135 - T Woods (US) 68 67, MA Jimenez (Spa) 67 68. 136 - RJ Derksen (Ned) 70 66, J Haeggman (Swe) 69 67. 137 - J-F Lucquin (Fra) 70 67, A Quiros (Spa) 69 68. 138 - P Casey 70 68, D Griffiths 71 67, T Teshima (Jpn) 69 69, I Garrido (Spa) 71 67, Darren Clarke (N Ire) 68 70, C Monasterio (Arg) 68 70. 139 - T Bjorn (Den) 70 69, R Green (Aus) 72 67, D Lynn 70 69, R Sterne (Rsa) 69 70, R Jacquelin (Fra) 68 71. 140 - S Dodd 72 68, S Gallacher 71 69, N Begay (US) 71 69, O Wilson 73 67, P Archer 69 71, A Coltart 69 71, D Park 70 70, J Edfors (Swe) 72 68. 141 - Damien McGrane (Ire) 72 69, C Schwartzel (Rsa) 69 72, C Hanell (Swe) 72 69, M Lafeber (Ned) 70 71, G Fernandez-Castano (Spa) 73 68, G Norman (Aus) 70 71, G Havret (Fra) 71 70, B Dredge 69 72. 142 - R Bland 73 69, S Webster 69 73, M Ilonen (Fin) 69 73, L Oosthuizen (Rsa) 71 71, M Tunnicliff 73 69, Peter Lawrie (Ire) 72 70, H Kahlon (Ind) 69 73. 143 - J Backstrom (Swe) 71 72, M O'Meara (US) 71 72, M Campbell (Nzl) 72 71, M Brier (Aut) 69 74, R Gonzalez (Arg) 78 65, K Ferrie 73 70, P O'Malley (Aus) 70 73, M Mamat (Sin) 72 71. 144 - M Eliasson (Swe) 73 71, Gary Murphy (Ire) 72 72, S Hansen (Den) 70 74, A Romero (Arg) 71 73, S Kjeldsen (Den) 72 72. 145 - C Nilsson (Swe) 73 72, G Orr 75 70. 146 - T Whitehouse 76 70, A Canete (Arg) 70 76. 147 - P Lawrie 74 73, A Tadini (Ita) 72 75, B Barham 73 74, J-F Remesy (Fra) 73 74, S Drummond 76 71, H Tanihara (Jpn) 74 73. 148 - P Gustafsson (Swe) 75 73, G Storm 74 74. 149 - B Lane 77 72. 150 - C Cevaer (Fra) 77 73. 161 - J-F Lima (Por) 82 79. 168 - D Adams 90 78.