Lowry three strokes adrift of Italian pair in Abu Dhabi

Shane Lowry is three shots adrift of Italian pair Francesco Molinari and Guido Migliozzi at the halfway stage in the Abu Dhabi Championship after carding a two-under par-round of 70 on Friday at Yas Island.

Lowry, who won the event at its former home at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club in 2019, had an eventful second round, registering six birdies and four dropped strokes. He also needed to hole a 12-foot putt to save bogey on the 18th.

The reigning BMW PGA champion appeared set to post a low number, reaching nine-under for the tournament following three birdies in four holes around the turn, but he endured a messy closing stretch, with dropped shots at 13, 15 and 18, somewhat mitigated by a final birdie at the 16th. Lowry remains inside the top 10 in a tie for ninth.

Seamus Power fell back on Friday after his impressive opening 66 in the opening round. The Waterford golfer posted a round of 73 to finish on five-under in a tie for 22nd.

Beginning the day two off the lead, Power's second round was bookended by dropped strokes at the 1st and 18th, with further bogeys at 12 and 14.

Power, who won his second PGA Tour event at the Bermuda Championship in October, did register birdies at the par-5s at 8 and 11, with another arriving at 15 to stay in the hunt.

At the head of the field, 2018 champion Molinari continued his resurgence with a second successive 67, placing him a tie for the lead with his compatriot Migliozzi, who birdied his final hole for a second round 69.

Molinari, who began on the 10th, recovered from a double-bogey and bogey in successive holes on 16 and 17 to post a stunning inward nine of 30 with six birdies and no dropped strokes. Molinari won three times in 2018, including the Open at Carnoustie and BMW PGA Championship