Abu Dhabi Championship – second round leaderboard
-19 P Waring (Eng); -14 J Veerman (US), T Olesen (Den), N Noergaard (Den), T Fleetwood (Eng); U Coussaud (Fra); -12 L Canter (Eng), T Hatton (Eng), M Wallace (Eng)
Selected others: -11 R MacIntyre (Sco); -10 R McIlroy (NI); -9 R Mansell (Eng), E Ferguson (Sco), S Lowry (Ire), J Smith (Eng)
England’s Paul Waring hit a course-record 11-under-par 61 to lead by five shots after the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship.
The 39-year-old recorded his lowest career round on Friday thanks to nine birdies and one eagle to reach 19 under par.
Early leader Tommy Fleetwood, who equalled the course record on Thursday, went round in 68 and is level on 14 under with American Johannes Veerman and Danes Thorbjorn Olesen and Niklas Norgaard Moller.
Waring finished his round by hitting a shot from 265 yards to within three feet of the pin on the par-five 18th, after getting himself out of trouble following a wayward drive.
“That was the best shot I’ve ever hit in my life to be honest,” Waring said.
English trio Laurie Canter, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Wallace all sit seven shots off Waring on 12 under, along with Frenchman Ugo Coussaud.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre is 11 under after the opening two rounds.
Rory McIlroy carded 67 for the second consecutive day and is nine shots off the pace after a triple bogey on the 17th.
The four-time major champion is aiming to win a sixth Race to Dubai title and can be crowned winner if he finishes in the top two at Yas Links, before the European Tour season finale in Dubai next week.
“I need the golf course to toughen up a little bit to have a chance,” said McIlroy. “There’s so many gettable holes out there.”
