Everything you need to know from day two of the first DP World Tour event of 2022.
Jamieson jostled back ahead, it was windy, Shane revealed his secret to wind play, it was windy, headwear was optional, it was windy and Alexander holed a monster on day two of the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Here is everything you need to know from Thursday at the opening Rolex Series event of the season at Yas Links.
Did we mention it was windy?
Jamieson keeps his nose in front
Scott Jamieson fired a battling 74 to maintain his one-shot lead after a wild and windy second day in Abu Dhabi. The Scot had entered round two at nine under and while he, like many of the rest of the field, moved backwards in very high winds, he kept his nose in front at seven under with a late birdie. Jamieson's second round may have taken 11 shots more than his first but was arguably equally impressive considering the conditions which resulted in just ten completed rounds of par or better. "Pretty happy with two over par today," he said. "It's windier than Scotland. It was blooming cold today. This isn't what I expected. I knew it was going to be windy but thought it would still be short sleeves."
Less thought, more feel for Lowry
Shane Lowry has revealed the secret behind his incredible prowess playing in the wind - he thinks less. The Irishman - who won his first Rolex Series title at this event and The Open Championship in 2019 - is renowned for his links play and he carded an impressive level-par 72 in the wind on day two to stay at five under. "I knew going out this morning that I'd be OK, I knew that I could just go out and play my game and do my thing," he said. "Because it's in the wind I think about it a lot less and I just hit the shots I see and that's what makes me so good in the wind, I think: I just play with a lot of feel and it works."
How's your game in the wind?
You've probably already heard some talk of how windy it was on Friday. Well have a look for yourself.
Just a little windy... 😳#ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/fjQjdqXlyM
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 21, 2022
.They even had to blow the sand that had been blown on to the course off the greens
Welcome to a windy round of golf in the desert 🌪️#ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/5yJ2yzgoqo
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 21, 2022
Rory finds the funny side
"Only 17 more to go," Rory McIlroy joked after holing his par putt on the first. When a four-time Major Champion from Northern Ireland thinks it's going to be difficult in the wind, it's going to be difficult in the wind. As he walked off the 18th after a 75, McIlroy said: "I've never been so glad to get off a golf course." That's really all you need to know, isn't it?
"Only 17 more to go" 😂#ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/Izp72DUaBE
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 21, 2022
Hats off to them
Golfers love a hat. With the exception of Robert Rock and Rory at the Olympics, they are pretty much universal. So you know it is windy when Rory and others - including Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Thomas Pieters and Lee Westwood - feel the need to ditch the headwear.
Just the 90 feet.......
Alexander Björk, that is some putt.