Jan 18, 2019: Shane Lowry was still the man to catch at the halfway stage of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA after following up Wednesday’s course record-equalling 62 with a battling 70. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar shot similar two-under-par 70 in the second round adding to his first round and lying at T18 after the round two.
Bhullar scored five birdies and a three bogeys to arrive at two-under-par 70 and lying witn in top twenty of the leader board.
After a rocky start to his second round, three-time European Tour winner Lowry found the form that helped him match Henrik Stenson’s 13 year old record on day one at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, bouncing back from two early bogeys with four birdies to get to 12 under par.
“I’m really happy with that. I knew today was going to be a bit of a weird day after shooting such a low score yesterday.
“I just tried to go out and play like I played. To be honest, right from the start, I really feel like I played pretty well today. I think I gave myself a lot of chances.
“Some of the shots early on were pretty horrendous. I battled back and hit some really nice shots out there and hit some in close and made some birdies. I was happy with myself.”
South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Richard Sterne were a single shot behind Lowry in a tie for second after posting second-round 68s.
Early clubhouse leader Lee Westwood was in fourth place on ten under, with Scotland’s Scott Jamieson, Dane Søren Kjeldsen and Englishmen Ian Poulter and Tom Lewis another stroke further back.
Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Tommy Fleetwood held his nerve to fire the birdie he needed at the 18th to make the cut.
Source: European Tour
