Rozner storms to the top; UAE's Skaik misses cut

Dubai - The Frenchman reels off six birdies in his final eight holes

After the second day of the Aviv Dubai Championship, 2020 Golf in Dubai winner, Antoine Rozner, leads the way at -15, holding a one-shot lead over Francesco Laporta and yesterday’s leader, Joachim Hansen.

Looking to emulate his victory at last year’s Golf in Dubai Championship, Rozner shot the low score of the day with a bogey-free 64 on the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The Frenchman followed up Thursday’s 65 with another bogey-free round for an unblemished 36-holes, finishing with six birdies in his final eight holes.

After the round, Rozner said “I think I was playing really well, even on the front nine — a few putts didn’t drop. I just kept putting myself in a good position hole after holes and a few putts dropped on the back nine, which was great.

“My long game was perfect, I was striping it shot after shot, I missed one green on 17 and that was the only hole I put myself in trouble, but I got away with it with a good par. I’m not the only one who’s playing well so you’ve got to keep grinding for the next two days.”

Laporta, in search of his maiden victory on the European Tour, matched Rozner’s low score of the day, with another bogey-free 64. Following the round, he added: “I played solid the last two days, I’ve missed only one green actually. My long game is pretty good, my short game needs a bit of work especially my putting – I three-putted three times but at the end of the day I’m pretty happy about my score.

“I think this is the result of the hard work I’ve been putting in the last three months; my game is pretty solid. I like to work hard and me and my team are working really hard, and these are the results of that.”

Home favourite, Ahmad Skaik, followed up his record breaking round on Thursday with a solid one-over par to narrowly miss the cut but significantly improving on his previous European Tour appearances. The final 36-holes gets underway at 7.23am on Saturday morning on the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.