Sun, Feb 07, 2010 page18

• Thai star Thongchai cards 66 for Dubai Desert Classic lead

  • REUTERS
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  A penultimate-hole birdie handed Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee a one-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the Dubai Desert Classic on Friday.

  Thongchai carded a six-under 66 to move to eight-under. Last year’s European No. 1 Lee Westwood, fellow Britain Stephen Dodd and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez share second place on seven-under.

  Defending champion Rory McIlroy, the world No. 9, is one of five players on six-under.

  Thongchai, winner of four tournaments on the European Tour, produced a bogey-free second round that included three birdies on each nine.

  Westwood moved into contention for a 21st European Tour success with a round of 65.

  Jimenez capped his round with four birdies in succession from his second hole and has set his sights this year on making a fourth European Ryder Cup team.

  “I haven’t spoken to [captain Colin Montgomerie] Monty lately, but he knows how much I want to be playing in Wales this year,” Jimenez said. “So if I can keep on playing the way I have played so far this week, who knows what is going to happen with the Ryder Cup.”

  McIlroy, in a six-way tie for the lead after the first round, was left ruing a final hole double-bogey after putting his approach shot into the water guarding the par-four ninth hole that he was playing as his 18th.

  “Apart from the mistake at the last, it was another really good day’s work,” he said after a round of 70.

  ■NORTHERN TRUST OPEN

  REUTERS, PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA

  Dustin Johnson hit a hole-in-one in pouring rain to upstage fellow American Steve Stricker’s green-side theatrics and hold a share of the second-round lead at the Northern Trust Open on Friday.

  Both were tied at 10-under after play was halted at the sodden Riviera Country Club, where failing light left 41 of the field unable to complete their rounds.

  Overnight leader Johnson was three-under with two holes to play, while Stricker made the most of his early start to shoot a six-under 65. Argentina’s Andres Romero finished three strokes behind the leaders at one-under with three to play.

  Johnson, whose putter lit up the greens to carve a one-stroke lead on Thursday, conjured some magic with his eight-iron on the sixth. His tee-shot in pouring rain landed four feet behind the hole then spun back into the cup.

  “It was probably my best shot of the day,” Johnson said. “I hit eight-iron and made it, so that always helps the round a little bit.”

  Johnson had the outright lead until he made his first bogey of the tournament on No. 15. He failed to reach the par-four in two shots and could not get up and down to save his par.

  Stricker started his round from the back nine in style, sinking a 21-foot putt from off the green to save par. He then chipped in from the rough for a birdie on the 18th, his third of the tournament.

  After a lackluster opening round of 72, Phil Mickelson stormed back into contention with a five-under 66, after finding form off the tee and on the greens.

  “I’ve got to go low [Saturday],” Mickelson said. “I know that, but it’s out there if you play well.”
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