Ross Fisher and Ian Poulter tied for the lead at the Dubai World Championship
Ryder Cup team-mates Ross Fisher and Ian Poulter will enter the weekend tied for the lead at nine-under after the second round of the $7.5m Dubai World Championship on Friday 26 November.
The event is the season-ending tournament on the European Tour schedule.
Fisher, the 30-year-old Englishman ranked 14th on the money list, equalled the course record at the Jumeirah Golf Estates with a bogey-free eight-under 64. The four-time winner on tour
had four birdies on each nine to shoot seven shots better than his opening round 71.
Poulter, a 10-time winner on tour ranked fifth on the money list, had a solid round as well, carding six birdies on the day with no dropped shots. The Englishman, playing with world number-one
Lee Westwood, got off to a flying start with four straight birdies to begin his day. But he didn’t have another birdie until the par-four 15th, adding another at the 17th to enter the weekend tied for the lead.
Westwood, third on the money list, sits alone in third place after following up his opening round 69 with a five-under 67 to sit one shot back of the leaders. The 37-year-old Englishman,
who has won 20 times on the European Tour, posted seven birdies and two bogeys on the day.
It is a star-studded leaderboard as world number-three Martin Kaymer and number-seven Paul Casey, along with Thonchai
Jaidee, sit in a group at seven-under, just two off the lead. Two Ryder Cup team-mates Francesco Molinari and Miguel Angel Jimenez are also in contention with the former three shots
back and the latter four shots off the pace. This year’s British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen is also four shots back after carding a 66. First round leader Robert Karlsson struggled to a three-over 75.
Entering the week, two players – Kaymer and Graeme McDowell – were in position to finish atop the money list and earn the $1.5m bonus that comes with it. But it looks more and more like
Kaymer will finish on top after McDowell carded four bogeys on his way to a one-over 73, putting him eight shots behind Kaymer.
What they said
Last year, Westwood won this event at 23-under. Poulter told reporters after his round that this mark will be tough to match this year.
“I think Lee was on another planet with 23-under par last year. It's not that easy a golf course. You have to hit it solid off the tee to give yourself a decent look at hitting it close.
23-under won't be reached this week.”
Because of the great play by Kaymer and McDowell over the season, Fisher enters the weekend unable to win the money list. He said this could be a good thing. “There’s not so much pressure
as last year. Then I was fourth coming in and only 14th this year so obviously I had a chance to win (The Race to Dubai) last year, but was going to be very difficult; whereas this year maybe I’m coming in with less expectation and trying to enjoy the week."
Westwood said organizers should be happy to see a lot of big names in contention. “If you were a sponsor of this event you would look at the leaderboard and be rubbing your hands together,
wouldn't you? You've got the leader of the Race to Dubai up there. You've got the world number-one. Ross Fisher has had a great year. Poults has had a great year. It’s a fantastic leaderboard.”
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