Fleetwood, Rai share Abu Dhabi HSBC C’ship lead at halfway stage

Tommy Fleetwood and fellow Englishman Aaron Rai share the lead at the halfway stage of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, opening up a two shot lead over their closest challengers at Yas Links.

Fleetwood, who won this event in 2017 and 2018, started the day in a five-way tie for the lead but found himself in the chasing pack by the time he began his second round as early starter Nacho Elvira made three birdies on the front nine.

But the Ryder Cup star soon caught up as he birdied each of the first three holes to grab a share of the lead.

The two-time former winner and reigning FedExCup champion made a total of seven birdies in his round of 66, with his only bogey of the week so far coming on the 15th.

“Really good day,” said Fleetwood. “I got off to like the perfect start. Birdie, birdie, birdie. That was good, especially when you’ve had a good round the day before. They always say it’s hard to follow up a good round with another good one, or a low one with another one.”

“Starting good was really important. I just did a really good job - I hit a lot of good shots but a few times today where I drove it into the rough and we read the lies really well.

“I felt like we did a great job of controlling the ball out of the rough, and that was really pleasing. I feel like I putted solid again. 6-under was a very good score.”

Joining Fleetwood on 14 under par was fellow Rolex Series winner and World Number 30 Rai, who fired a breathtaking albatross and five birdies in a flawless 64.

The highlight of Rai’s round came at the par-five second, where he holed his approach shot from 218 yards with a six iron to land the rarest of birds.

He kept up the momentum with a birdie from almost 30 feet at the sixth before adding further birdies on the seventh and 11th. Rai then finished with a flourish, draining his 26-foot birdie effort on the 17th before taking advantage of the long 18th to get to 14 under.

“Any time you hit close to 18 greens, you’ve had a good day out there, let alone 18,” said Rai.

“The course is in incredible condition. If you hit a lot of fairways, it certainly gives you control. The green complexes are fantastic out here, as well, with being able to use the slopes, change your flights, change your shapes. It’s a pleasure being out here and nice to play well, as well.”

The pair sit two shots clear of nearest challengers Andy Sullivan, Nicolai Hojgaard and Richard Sterne, with 2019 winner Shane Lowry among those another stroke further back.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s third round where the tournament celebrates Ladies Day at Yas Links. All ladies attending on Nov.8 will receive two complimentary drinks while enjoying world-class golf alongside entertainment in the tournament village, including live music with The Boxtones, DJ Green, a glitter station, golf simulators, long putt challenges, food and drink trucks, and live screens throughout the venue.

No. 2-ranked Rory McIlroy shot a second straight 68 and was 8 under overall, six strokes behind Rai and Fleetwood.

McIlroy leads the Race to Dubai standings and is attempting to win the season-long points race on the European tour for a seventh time, which would put him just one behind Colin Montgomerie’s record haul.

Marco Penge (68) is McIlroy’s nearest rival in the Race to Dubai and is a stroke ahead of the Northern Irishman, having played in the same group for the first two days.

Meanwhile, McIlroy has endorsed the Mena Golf Tour’s role in building pathways from the region to the game’s biggest stages.

“I think any region in the world that provides pathways for players to play and gets bigger stages, I think is a really good thing,” said McIlroy.

Mena Golf Tour Chairman and Commissioner Keith Waters said McIlroy’s comments underline the Tour’s mission.

“To have someone of Rory’s stature acknowledge the value of pathways like ours is incredibly encouraging,” said Waters.

“Our focus is simple: a player-first tour with guaranteed purses, fast payouts and a logical routing that helps talent from the Middle East, North Africa and beyond take the next step. Hearing that message echoed by one of the game’s greats reinforces that we’re on the right track.”