Kaymer leads but Dunne in the hunt

Martin Kaymer holds a one shot lead over the field heading into the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Kaymer is bidding for a fourth win in the event and he put himself firmly in the hunt for another victory as he shot a second consecutive 66 to move to 12-under-par for the tournament.

After a slow start, the German bogeyed the sixth but an eagle on the par-five eighth was the kick-start he needed and he added birdies on the tenth and 11th to climb the leaderboard. His progress slowed when he bogeyed the 12th but he recovered the shot immediately and then chipped in for another birdie on the 14th.

A birdie at the 16th saw him join Rafael Cabrera Bello at the top of the leaderboard but his superb birdie on the last meant he ended the day in the outright lead.

"I don't try to push, I just try to enjoy playing my favourite golf course," he said. "Once in a while when a putt drops in you catch momentum and you can make another three or four birdies coming in, like it happened today. I think I made only two pars on the back nine.

So pushing, I have that experience with pushing.

"I felt like I played a little bit better than yesterday. It was a bit more difficult today with the wind, especially the first nine. I struck the ball a little bit better and I made a few long putts today, same as yesterday."

Cabrera Bello also signed for a 66 after birdies on the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th only to drop a shot on the sixth, his 15th hole of the day.

It did not take long for him to bounce back as an excellent tee shot set up birdie on the seventh and he added another birdie on the par-four 18th to end the day on 11-under-par.

Ireland's Paul Dunne is in a three-way tie for third on ten-under-par after a superb 66.

Dunne got off to the perfect start with back-to-back birdies before his only bogey of the day at the third. He went on to pick up shots at the sixth, tenth and 15th to put himself firmly in contention and a superb eagle at the last capped off a brilliant day for the Irishman.

“I gave myself a lot of chances, took a few and missed a few,” Dunne told Sky Sports. “My game is in good shape, I hit a lot of good iron shots. I’m happy with the last couple of days. Hopefully I can do the same the next two days.

“It’s nice to be up there again. That’s why we practice and that’s what we prepare for. It’s going to be nice to be in one of the later groups tomorrow.

"Hopefully I can play like I did the last couple of days over the weekend and I think I have a good chance.”

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