Abu Dhabi (AFP) - Scott Jamieson clung on to his one-shot lead in gusty conditions at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday as Rory McIlroy needed a birdie on the final hole to avoid missing the projected cut.
Four-time major winner McIlroy said he had "never been so glad to get off a golf course" after dropping four shots in five holes on the back nine to put his weekend participation in jeopardy.
The Northern Irishman got up and down on the 18th to card 75 and sits on the projected cut mark of three over par along with world number two Collin Morikawa.
Just five players completed under-par rounds on a day which ended with several groups still out on the course when played was suspended due to darkness.
"I feel like I'm hitting it well," McIlroy said.
"Hopefully I get to play the weekend and we'll have a couple of calm days.I'd just like another two competitive days of play and see where I'm at."
McIlroy admitted the brutal conditions had caught him by surprise.
"I can't remember when it's been like this here," he said."I played in a couple of sandstorms in Dubai and a couple of mornings it's been cold in Abu Dhabi, but nothing like this."
Scotland's Jamieson followed up his blistering nine-under opening round of 63 with a two-over 74 as high winds made life difficult at Yas Links.
"It certainly wasn't easy," said Jamieson, seven-under for the tournament after a round including two birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey on the first hole.
"It's so tricky, obviously hitting shots is tricky with all the gusts but the hardest thing is putting."
The 38-year-old Jamieson, ranked 336th, is looking for a first win on the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour, since 2012.
He is a stroke clear of Norwegian star Viktor Hovland and Ian Poulter, while James Morrison is also six-under with four holes of his second round still to play.
"It's a great test from tee-to-green, if you want to call it a test, at the mercy of whatever gust you might or might not get," added Jamieson.
Shane Lowry, the 2019 British Open champion, is among a quartet on five-under alongside former Ryder Cup player Thomas Pieters, Japan's Takumi Kanaya and Alexander Bjork of Sweden.
Denmark's Jeff Winther was the only player to shoot under 70, climbing to within three shots of the pace courtesy of his superb 69 that featured five birdies.
Reigning British Open champion Morikawa, who also won the season-long Race to Dubai last year, recorded a 74 and like McIlroy is 10 strokes back.
