Commercial Bank Qatar Masters - Day two digest

Everything you need to know from the second round in Qatar.

Haydn Barron burst clear at the top, Ashun Wu went pin-seeking and Pablo Larrazábal was bullish after a late rally moved him up the leaderboard on day two of the 2024 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

Here is everything you need to know from Friday at Doha Golf Club.

Barron bursts ahead in Qatar

Barron surged into a two-shot lead at the halfway mark in Qatar. The Australian turned 28 on Thursday and celebrated by moving one behind first-round leaders Wu and Zander Lombard after an impressive four-under-par 68. After starting with nine straight pars on Friday, Barron got on the birdie trail at the tenth, added another at the 14th before a birdie-birdie-birdie finish saw him come home in 31 to set the mark at nine under - two clear of compatriot Harrison Endycott and Japan's Rikuya Hoshino. He said: "It was a good day. It got off to a bit of a slow start - nine pars in a row at the front - hitting really good shots and playing really well, just the putts were sliding by. Hit one through the green on ten and chipped one close for my first birdie and then felt a little bit of momentum and rolled a couple in coming home there."

Bullish Larrazábal here to win

The Spaniard produced a brilliant back nine of 31 to ensure he is playing this weekend following a stuttering start to his second round. Larrazábal faced a weekend off when he carded his third bogey of the day at the ninth. Sat on two over, the 40-year-old was two adrift of the projected cut mark but immediately responded by picking up his first shot at the tenth. A stunning approach from the rough at the 14th changed his fortunes as it sparked a closing run of four birdies in his final five holes to climb to three under overall, six strokes behind leader Barron. Larrazábal did not mince his words as he targeted a tenth DP World Tour title of his illustrious career. He said: "I knew that this back nine, there are many birdies out there and I thought I left some out there. I could birdie all of them actually. I'm not here to make cuts, I'm here to try to win golf tournaments, and I think I have a low one on this golf course. I think tomorrow our mentality has to be to close the gap."

Wu goes pin-seeking

Overnight joint-leader Wu endured a roller coaster second round at Doha Golf Club after mixing two bogeys with two birdies on his first ten holes. The Chinese player tried to muster some momentum and almost did that in style as he nearly holed out his approach at the par-four 11th. He tapped in for his third gain but immediately handed the shot back at the 12th as he remained at five under for the tournament.

Nakajima produces unlikely save

Former world number one amateur Keita Nakajima showcased the skills which saw him spend a record 87 weeks atop the World Amateur Golf Rankings with this stunning par save from the wasteland at the fifth on Friday. The Japanese rolled in six birdies and dropped one shot in his second-round 67 to sit four back from Barron.

Svensson's late flurry saves Swede

Jesper Svensson looked destined for a free weekend when he was three over through ten holes in round two, to add to his 73 from Thursday. Sitting four adrift of the cut line and with holes running out, the Swedish star carded successive birdies from the 12th to kickstart his revival, only to hand back a shot at the 15th. However, Svensson dug deep to register a birdie-birdie-birdie finish to climb to level par and somehow secure his place in the Moving Day field.