Friday 22 January 2016 15:01, UK
Andy Sullivan was pleased with how he recovered from a mid-round blip to set the clubhouse lead and bolster his Ryder Cup credentials at the second round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
The Englishman produced a late rally to birdie his final three holes and card a second successive 67 at Abu Dhabi GC, setting the target at 10 under for the afternoon starters.
After play was delayed by nearly three hours due to fog, Sullivan once again impressed under the watchful eye of Ryder Cup captain and playing partner Darren Clarke by making a fast start to his round.
Beginning on the back nine, Sullivan followed on from his blemish-free Thursday by posting three gains in-a-row from the 10th to move alongside Bryson DeChambeau at the top of the leaderboard.
A first dropped shot of the week at the 15th was cancelled out with a four-foot birdie at the first, before he bounced back from a series of missed chances along his second nine to pick up shots at the seventh, eighth and ninth.
"I think today was even more impressive than yesterday," Sullivan said. "I think yesterday, I had it under a lot of control and it felt quite easy.
"Today, it started off great, lost my way through the middle part of the round and then dug deep and finished really strong with three birdies to finish.
"I got off to a flying start but to dig deep and finish the way I did after struggling for four or five holes puts me in good stead for the rest of the tournament."
Sullivan was a three-time winner on the European Tour last season and has taken his 2015 form in to the new year, winning all three of his matches in Europe's convincing EurAsia Cup victory last week.
The 29-year-old currently lies fourth in the Ryder Cup qualifying race, but is looking to continue his momentum and get himself in to the picture for Hazeltine.
"I've used that momentum from last week and that was just a little taster of what the Ryder Cup would be like," Sullivan added. "That's going to be 10-fold. Last week gave me more desire to put my name in the mix.
Andy is playing beautifully, really nicely. He does it all and I love playing with people like that. He is a proper shot-maker.
"I'm just trying to kick on. I don't want to be the guy that makes my career by winning three times in one season. I want to win as many tournaments as I can.
"Darren knows what I can do so I don't think it was imperative (to play well here), but it bodes well when you do. It's good to do it face to face."
Clarke, who fired a 70 which put him on the projected cut at one under, admitted he was impressed with Sullivan's form, adding: "He is playing beautifully, really nicely. He is 10 under but he could be 14 or 15 because he is playing great.
"He is a quality ball striker. There are lots of brilliant young kids out here but not many of them move the ball both ways and with different trajectory. He does it all and I love playing with people like that. He is a proper shot-maker."
Asked how he replied to Clarke's jokes about his height, the diminutive Sullivan added: "He's got 60 on his ball (recalling his two 60s on the European Tour) and on the first tee I said I didn't realise you put your age on the ball."
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