Saturday 26 January 2019 13:07, UK
Bryson DeChambeau birdied his final two holes to grab a share of the halfway lead at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The world No 5 closed out a second consecutive 66 at Emirates Golf Club to get to 12 under alongside Lucas Herbert, who set the clubhouse target with a round-of-the-day 63.
DeChambeau mixed seven birdies and an eagle with three bogeys during another day of low scoring in Dubai, where 25 players head into the weekend within four of the lead.
Former winner Alvaro Quiros lies a shot off the pace in third alongside Ernie Els, with Matt Wallace and defending champion Haotong Li in the group two strokes back.
Beginning the day three back, DeChambeau got up and down from a fairway bunker to make a birdie at the par-five fifth, but missed an eight-footer to save par at the next.
A run of three straight birdies ended when DeChambeau failed to convert from six feet at the ninth, seeing him reach the turn in 33, only for the American to begin his back nine by holing a long-range eagle putt at the par-five 10th.
DeChambeau recovered from bogeying the 12th to pick up a shot at the next to get back within two of the lead, before rolling in a six-footer at the 17th and adding another at the par-five last to join Herbert in a share of the lead.
Australian Herbert had set the clubhouse target after carding an eagle on his opening hole and adding seven more birdies in a blemish-free card, while Spaniard Quiros recovered from an opening-hole bogey to birdie four of his final four holes and get within one of the lead.
Quiros was joined on 11 under by Els after the South African fired a seven-under 65, 25 years on from winning the first of his three Dubai Desert Classic titles, with a bogey-free 64 from Wallace lifting him into the group of five players sharing fifth spot.
Overnight leader Matt Fitzpatrick slipped three shots back after following his opening-round 65 with a two-under 70 on Friday, with Ian Poulter and Tommy Fleetwood in the group on six under.
Watch the Omega Dubai Desert Classic throughout the weekend on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 8.30am on Sky Sports Golf and 10am Sky Sports Main Event.
