Date: January 20, 2007
Author:

O’Hern in touch

Sportal Nick O Hern has fired a second consecutive four-under par round of 68 to move within two strokes of the lead after the second round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in the United Arab Emirates. The West Australian trails leader Phillip Price who carded a seven-under par round of 65 to move to ten-under par and one stroke clear of Irishman Padraig Harrington. Price produced a magnificent approach to the 18th to set up his eighth birdie for the day and capitalise on his three-under par opening round of 69. The Welshman shot to fame in 2002 when he beat Phil Mickelson in the Ryder Cup singles to lead the Europeans to a famous victory over the US, before claiming his US PGA Tour card in 2004 at the Qualifying school. O&aposHern is searching for his first European Tour victory to add to the Australian PGA Title that he claimed in December after defeating Peter Lonard in a play-off. With ten birdies and just two bogeys during his opening two rounds, O&aposHern is well and truly in the hunt heading into the weekend at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Alongside O&aposHern in equal third place is Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, who equalled Price&aposs round of 65 in the second round, India&aposs Shiv Kapur and Italian Alessandro Tadini. Richard Green is the next best Australian in the field, falling back to the pack with an even par round 72 to be at five-under for the tournament, after carding an impressive opening round of 67. Brett Rumford remains in contention back with a host of players at four under par with Matthew Millar a further two strokes behind on the back of a three-under par round 69. Leading scores after the second round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, UAE (par 72) -10: Phillip Price -9: Padraig Harrington -8: Nick O&aposHern (Australia), Miguel Angel Jimenez, Shiv Kapur, Alessandro Tadini -7: Gary Emerson, Alastair Forsyth, Garry Houston, Richard Sterne -6: Phillip Archer, Nick Dougherty, Retief Goosen, Peter Hanson, Gary Orr, Henrik Stenson, Graeme Storm -5: Richard Green (Australia), David Carter, Paul Casey, Robert-Jan Derksen, Chris Dimarco, Stephen Dodd, Oliver Fisher, James Hepworth, Thongchair Jaidee, James Kingston, Paul Lawrie, Jean-Francois Lucquin Also: -4: Brett Rumford (Australia) -2: Matthew Millar (Australia) -1: Terry Price (Australia) +1: Marcus Fraser (Australia)