Dubai Desert Classic: Dan Hillier fires blistering seven-under including eagle on 18 to surge into second, Ryan Fox remains steady after two rounds

Daniel Hillier sits in second after two rounds in Dubai. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi Dan Hillier fired a seven-under 65 to sit in second place after two rounds at the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club.

The world No. 223 scored five birdies and an eagle during a bogey-free second round to surge up the leaderboard and hold the lead until Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson also shot 65 to take the lead at 12-under.

Hillier’s eagle on the par-five 18th had him three shots clear as he finished his round, before Ferguson caught and eventually passed the Porirua native.

Fellow Kiwi Ryan Fox carded a two-under 70 with five birdies and three bogeys to sit in a tie for 12th.

Hillier said he was pleased to see a few putts drop in during his second round after he’d been the best in the field off the tee in the first round.

“Two very different days of golf. I think day one, striped it off the tee and gave myself a lot of chances. Just a solid round of golf. Today a few extra putts went in than I was expecting. Yeah, it’s nice to see those drop and hopefully they keep dropping.”

Heading in to the weekend’s play, the Kiwi said the course and conditions had remained reasonably similar over the first two days.

“Pretty similar. The wind was slightly different. So there were a couple of holes that played slightly different. But overall, it’s playable at the moment. It’s not as firm and fast as it can be but I’m sure over the weekend, it will get pretty fiery. It will be a good test.”

Hillier credits a decent stint back home in New Zealand and not playing too much golf to his outing through two rounds in Dubai.

“Yeah, I feel [I] definitely had a good break. Had four and a half, five weeks at home. Sticks didn’t come out very often to be honest, but I usually need it around that time of the year. It’s just nice to hang out with family and friends and get right for the season.”

Hillier sits three shots ahead of the chasing pack, one shot behind leader Ferguson with two rounds to play. LIV Golf’s Tyrell Hatton is in a share for third at eight-under, with Australia’s Min Woo Lee part of a five-way tie for seventh.

Ferguson said a 65 in the second round came down to application of a game plan that he and his caddie had worked through and was pleased to see it pay off on the course.

“I think I played well. I just stuck to my game plan. Saying that to Nick there, I didn’t try and overpower the course like I had tried to last year. It’s just not my game. I hit 7-wood on some of the shorter holes that are tight and gave myself chances.

“Last year I felt like I tried to almost drive it on the greens, I don’t hit it as far as someone like Rory and I had an awkward 30-yarder from the heavy rough, but this time had a good strategy and felt good support out there so far. Yeah, 65 sounds nice.”

Will Toogood is an online sports editor and golf reporter for the NZ Herald. He enjoys watching people chase a ball around on a grass surface so much he decided to make a living out of it.