Experience proved crucial for Henrik Stenson and Richard Green at the Dubai Desert Classic today as the two former champions roared to the top of the second-round leaderboard.
Dubai-based Swede Stenson carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to move onto 11 under despite spending 12 hours at the Emirates Golf Club after fog again delayed the completion of a large proportion of yesterday’s first rounds.
Not to be outdone by the 2007 champion, 11 years after his win, Australian Green blazed a flawless nine-under-par 63 to leap up to second at 10-under-par, a shot clear of world number two Sergio Garcia, who let slip only one bogey in a 66.
But with a total of six hours play lost over the opening two days, more than half the field will return in the morning to complete their second rounds with 24 unable to start at all.
Ireland’s first-round leader Rory McIlroy was able to but will hope his first-hole bogey does not prove crucial in his bid to win a maiden title after dropping down to seven under through three.
Gareth Maybin is also well-placed on four under after another 70. Next best of the Irish was Graeme McDowell on two under after just one hole in his second round, while Darren Clarke picked up one shot through two of his to move to one over.
Damien McGrane is alse one over but had yet to start his second round. Paul McGinley was level par after picking up a shot with a 71 and Gary Murphy was three over after five holes, with Peter Lawrie dropping three through five and dropped to four over.
Asian number one Jeev Milkha Singh signed for a four-under 68 to join McIlroy four shots adrift, while in-form South African Louis Oosthuizen, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Frenchman Gregory Havret are a shot further back after playing a handful of second-round holes.
Stenson arrived at the course at 6am but was forced to wait three hours before completing his first-round 68, which ended with a disappointing bogey after finding the water on the 18th green.
He recovered and his knowledge of his home course proved crucial as a weary Stenson, runner-up last week in Qatar, took the overnight lead courtesy of an eight-foot birdie putt on his 25th and final hole of the day.
“I was a little bit disappointed with the finish to the first round, I felt like I threw a couple away there but I didn’t give hardly anything away in the afternoon,” said the 32-year-old.
“I had a good touch around the greens and made some good saves and chip-ins and putts. It was a grinding day but when I hit bad shots I recovered well and made some good birdies on the good shots.”
Stenson plays an extra 10 rounds per year at Emirates Golf Club and was able to leave his often-troublesome driver in the bag and rely on his experience.
“I was hitting some good tee balls with the three wood and then a couple of so-so ones,” he added. “I know the course and I know where I wanted to be on most of the holes so I don’t feel the need to hit a driver really to get it going.”
After winning November’s HSBC Champions to take over as world number two, Sergio Garcia has continued to close the gap on Tiger Woods with back-to-back top-10 finishes in Abu Dhabi and Qatar, although he was never really in a position to challenge the leaders.
“I think my whole game is in good shape,” he said. “It’s showing in that the weeks that I don’t score well, I’m finishing fifth, sixth or seventh. The weeks that things happen a little bit more to me, I’m going out there to win.”
Tournament officials will hope for a prompt start tomorrow morning, which should allow the third round leaders to complete nine holes before returning on Sunday morning ahead of their final rounds.
But should fog again delay the start, officials will have to decide whether to extend the tournament until Monday or opt to cut the $2.5million event to 54 holes, depending on the length of any delay.
