Australia’s Adam Scott has moved to within three shots of the leaders at the Abu Dhabi Championship after powering around the Yas Links course for a second-round 67.
He had started the day’s play on Friday six shots off the lead in equal 13th after carding an opening 68. But better was to come.
The Sydneysider’s 67 lifted him to joint 10th on a crowded leaderboard and left him handily positioned to make further inroads over the weekend.
It was also a good day for Rory McIlroy, who put first-round controversy behind him to soar into contention.
McIlroy took a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie at the 12th hole on Thursday despite insisting that had not been his intention, leaving him eight shots off the lead at Yas Link.
But an 11-birdie round of 63 on Friday moved him up to 11 under par, one shot behind three-way leaders Tyrrell Hatton, Jon Rahm and Francesco Laporta.
McIlroy said on Sky Sports: “I’d much rather be two shots worse off than be called a cheat. I made peace with it and at least I went out today and I had a clear conscience and I could just go and play.
“I had to take an unplayable at the first and made a bogey, it wasn’t like I got off to the greatest of starts today, but then obviously I got it going.
“I played well enough (on Thursday) to feel like I could play my way back into the tournament and I went out today and played a good round of golf and did get myself back into it. I’ve given myself a great chance and that’s all I can ask for.”
Overnight leader Laporta, of Italy, and Rahm both birdied the final hole to join Hatton on 12 under.
The Englishman had the best round of the trio with a seven-under 65, heralding a timely return to form after a difficult few weeks.
“Really happy how I played,” said Hatton. “Obviously there’s been a couple of mistakes but overall, compared to where I’ve been at over the last month and a half, it’s nice to put a couple of decent scores together again.”
Rahm narrowly missed an eagle putt on 18 and signed for a 67 while Laporta recovered from a double bogey at the 14th to post a two-under-par 70.
McIlroy is one of four players on 11 under along with English duo Matthew Jordan and Sam Bairstow and Pole Adrian Meronk.
Tommy Fleetwood birdied five holes in a row on the front nine but only one on the back nine in a 66 that moved him up to a tie for 12th place, four shots off the lead.
With PA
