Wilco Nienaber (-13) put on a real show today on the second day of the Abu Dhabi Challenge. Yesterday, the South African had a tournament start that allowed him to place within the provisional cut, but nothing hinted at the great round that Nienaber has produced this morning in the emirates. He has destroyed the field with a card of 60 strokes for a total of 13 under par and that place him at the top of the table.
“It’s been a great day,” said Nienaber, winner of the 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am. The giant South African is looking for a victory that puts him in one of the twenty privileged positions that help him regain the rights of the DP World Tour that he lost last season.
Very fine in all facets of the game, today Nienaber, with the aforementioned 60 strokes (par 70), has set a new record at the Al Ain Shooting, Equestrian & Golf Club. 10 hits without any mistake and with a streak of four consecutive birdies between the fifth and ninth flag. He admitted at the end that he was sorry not to be aware of being close to making a historic 59. Perhaps being aware would have led him to make some more mistakes. We will never know.
Alongside the South African, a Dane: Nicolai Kristensen (-13). The Dane has maintained the good tone of the first round and has practically copied the numbers from yesterday’s round. At 31, the Dane will seek his second victory on the Circuit this weekend. Kristensen does not know what it is to have full rights of the DP World Tour and after three appearances in the finals of the Road to Mallorca does not want to miss the big goal this year.
The two best of the tournament on the Spanish side are Ángel Ayora and Víctor Pastor (-9) who are precisely the two best placed in the Road to Mallorca. The Cordovan today has signed a great round of 64 strokes without any mistake along the way. Víctor is very happy to regain his best level after a difficult tour in India. The goal is to try not to obsess over the victory but to fight for it with all his might, and if not possible to climb as many positions as possible to scratch a big booty of points. In the same situation is Ayora who has played four under par today. A stroke separates him from the top ten of the tournament and just four from the leaders.
Also playing the weekend in Abu Dhabi, Quim Vidal (-7), Javi Sainz (-5) and Borja Virto (-4). The latter has made a good sprint and with a card of 67 strokes on the second day has climbed positions and has passed the cut right on the limit. Álvaro Quirós (+1), Lucas Vacarisas (+1) and Alejandro Cañizares (+2) have not been so lucky and say goodbye to the tournament early.
Among the players who are in the chasing group of the leaders are Oliver Bekker, John Parry and Euan Walker (-12)
