Dubai, Jan 24: Gaganjeet Bhullar birdied the 18thas he ensured an under-par round and got to even par 144 for 36 holes at the halfway stage of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Friday.
Soon after Bhullar, who is now T-32, confirmed action over the weekend, compatriot Shubhankar Sharma seemed to be making up for his first day 77 with a birdie-birdie start. Later he lapsed on the back nine for a 75 and exited early at 8-over total.
If the morning belonged to Eddie Pepperell (67) who moved to the very top despite a closing bogey, Tommy Fleetwood (65) was in a zone of his own in more difficult conditions in the afternoon. Fleetwood moved to 4-under 140 and T-11, an upward movement of 63 places.
South African Dean Burmester (69-68), recovered from being shaken by a taxi accident on Wednesday, and Robert Karlsson (69-68) were T-2 and later joined by defending champion Bryson DeChambeau (70-67)
Bhullar opened with a bogey and did not have a great front nine as he turned in one-over with a birdie on seventh and another bogey on eighth. He came back on the back nine with three birdies, though the pull into the rough on the right on 16thcost him a bogey. He birdied 10thand 13thand added another 17th, and missed one on 18thby a whisker.
“It was not easy. You cannot take your mind or eye off. The smallest error can be costly and the conditions are tough,” said Bhullar. “It is nice tot get into the weekend comfortably and hopefully the last two (rounds) will be better and I can get a good start to the season.”
Sharma after two birdies suffered a double bogey on the 12th, his third hole. Despite two more birdies on 13thand 18th, but it was generally downhill on the second nine for three-over 75, when he needed at least three-under to stay afloat.
Pepperell’s 67 had seven birdies and one bogey on either side to go to 8-under 136, a shot clear of Burmester.
Making use of the lighter winds in the morning, Pepperell coming off two missed cuts, was as usual witty. He said, “I got off to a nice start really and, yeah, for the most part it was very, very good until the cameras came along. I must have been concerned with how I was looking, because then I started struggling.”
Two days ago, Burmester, who was with his son and wife, saw his Uber going straight into a Porsche ahead in a four-car accident. Luckily, except for being a little bruised and shaken he was okay. “After the car accident you realize what’s important in life and I think I was taking golf a little too seriously, so I just kind of relaxed and looked at the family and we’re kind of just enjoying our time, so that’s been the biggest difference,” said Burmester, who missed his last four cuts but is second at halfway stage here.
In the afternoon wave, when scoring was much tougher, Fleetwood apart, defending champion DeChambeau made a significant move after starting with a hat-trick of birdies on first three holes.
Lee Westwood (68) was the most prominent one among those making up for their first round’s disappointing cards. Shooting 78 in the first round, last week’s winner, Westwood faced early departure, before a birdie-birdie finish gave him a reprieve.
Also making it on the line were Danny Willett (76-70), Nicolas Colsaerts (77-69) and Aaron Rai (77-69).
Overnight leader Thomas Pieters (67-77) was among those who had a disappointing morning, as he slipped to T-32.
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