GOLF: Rory McIlroy going well after second round of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
McIlroy carded four birdies and an eagle from 25 feet on the 18th in a second round of 66 to reach nine under par, three shots behind Ryder Cup partner Thomas Pieters.
Leader Pieters had earlier holed out from a bunker on the ninth - his final hole - for one of his seven birdies in a bogey-free 65, with Spain’s Jorge Campillo his nearest challenger after going one better with a 64.
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Hide AdDefending champion Tommy Fleetwood sat two shots off the pace alongside Ross Fisher and Alexander Levy after celebrating his 27th birthday with a 68, while playing partner and world number one Dustin Johnson featured two strokes further back after a brilliant 64.
Playing his first event since calling an early end to his injury-plagued and winless season in October last year McIlroy said: “I felt like I gave myself tons of chances on the back nine and it was sort of difficult to convert them,” McIlroy said.
“But I stayed patient and feel like I got what I deserved on the last for staying so patient and it was nice to finish with a three, leapfrog a few guys and get myself into contention for the weekend.
“It’s massive. Five shots to make up over the weekend is quite a lot, especially with a bunched leaderboard, so to cut that deficit to three, I feel so much closer to the lead.”