DONALDSON FIRES 68 AT ABU DHABI

Macclesfield golfer Jamie Donaldson produced a superb round of 68 to lie on two under par at the half way stage of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Donaldson recorded six birdies and a double bogey to make the cut, while Styal`s David Horsey will also be playing at the weekend after his second round 70 left him on one over for the tournament.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy promised never to make the same mistake again after a two-shot penalty cost him a share of the lead.

Northern Ireland`s US Open champion would have been alongside Dane Thorbjorn Olesen – a rather less well-known 22-year-old – but for brushing sand away from his line on the ninth hole of his second round.

That would have been all right if it had been on the green, but he was six feet off the putting surface and world number one Luke Donald instantly brought it to his attention.

“I wasn`t thinking clearly and just made a very stupid mental mistake,” McIlroy said following a level-par 72 that left him tied for fourth on five under par and part of a group which also included Tiger Woods.

Asked if he did not know the rule or just had a loss of concentration, he added: “I think it was a little bit of both – first week back as well.

“Luke said, `Don`t think you can do that`, and I was like, `Oh yeah, I can`t, can I?`.

“It happens and you just have to take it on the chin.

“There was so much sand in my line I didn`t even think about it. I`ll definitely not do it again.”

While world number one Donald remained deep in the pack on one under with a 72, Woods is right in the thick of things heading into the weekend.

He is, of course, going for a second successive victory after more than two barren years and for a while it looked as if he might even catch 171st-ranked Olesen.

Woods was tied for second after birdies at the 11th, 12th and 15th, but bogeyed the next after driving into rough.

He was happy enough after his 69, though, and certainly putted better than he had in his opening 70.

“I thought I played well today,” Woods said. “I feel like I`m swinging well and a lot of things that Sean (coach Sean Foley) and I have been working on are starting to feel very comfortable.

“I`ve grown to understand what he wants me to do and how my body is going to do those things and produce the numbers he wants me to produce.”

Lee Westwood survived the cut with two strokes to spare despite a neck problem that he has been battling with since Christmas.

At three over with six to play the world number two looked in trouble, but he produced a hat-trick of birdies.

Before going off for treatment, the Worksop golfer said: “This is the first time I`ve played three days in a row since it started.

“The pain goes down into my elbow and it feels like somebody is driving a needle in there.”

Asked if there was any possibility of him withdrawing during the round, he added: “If I`d hit it in the long rough I might have had to think about it, but hopefully I`ll be okay tomorrow.”

Defending champion Martin Kaymer, winner of the title in three of the past four years, did crash out on six over, and Colin Montgomerie (76), Open champion Darren Clarke (81) and South African Branden Grace, winner the last two weeks on home soil, failed to make it through either.

Source: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/golf/s/1472286_jamie-donaldson-fires-a-68-as-tiger-woods-hits-form-in-abu-dhabi