DUBAI: An unlikely trio — Richard Bland, Thomas Pieters and amateur Michael Thorbjornsen — shared the lead at the top of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic as they finished their first two rounds over three days at 10-under.
Bland (67-67) who turns 50 next week is not just looking for an early birthday present but also wants to make up for 2022 when he lost in the playoff to Viktor Hovland. Pieters (67-67) is seeking to make amends for failing in his defence of the Abu Dhabi event, where he missed the cut. Finally, there is the 21-year-old American amateur Michael Thorbjornsen (70-64), who had three holes to take sole leadership, but parred them all to join the other two.
There was disappointment for India's Shubhankar Sharma, who after a fine 4-under in his first nine on the back stretch of the Emirates Golf Club, was unable to keep the momentum going. He fought on a tougher front nine with a bogey on second, birdie on fourth and again a bogey on seventh. He turned in a great chip from almost 10 yards for a birdie on eighth to get to 2-under.
There was more drama on the ninth, his closing hole. He went into the rough, came out well and hit a brilliant third shot to three feet giving himself a par chance to stay at 2-under and make the cut. He missed.
Sharma said, "I fought hard and played well on the back nine, my first nine. Then (on 8th ) I had a perfect chip, which I knew was going in from the moment I hit it. (On 9th ) It was disappointing to miss the small (3-footer) par putt. But that's golf."
