DUBAI: Weather continued to play havoc with Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Friday. The tournament has now been extended to Monday as more than nine hours of play had been lost and the tournament has now been confirmed for a Monday finish.
The lead was held by two veteran English golfers, Ian Poulter, 47, and Richard Bland, 49. Both are 8-under for the tournament with their second rounds having just started.
Poulter shot a bogey free 65 for a share of the first round lead with World No. 1 amateur, Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, who had eight birdies and one bogey. Poulter was then 1-under through three holes in second. Bland after 67 in the first, began birdie-birdie-birdie in the second and with 3-under through four was now 8-under for 22 holes. The 24-year-old Angel Hidalgo was 7-under with 66 in first r ound and 1-under in seven holes of the second.
Four-time Major champion, Rory McIlroy, former Masters champion Patrick Reed, and South African Louis De Jager, were all at 6-under. De Jager had played two holes in the second round, while McIlroy and Reed will begin the second round on Saturday. There was 41 mm of rain on Thursday and another 16 on Friday, as the course was left soggy and dangerous for spectators.
