(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Belgian bogeys his last hole to finish day two only one shot behind overnight leader Kaymer
Thomas Pieters plays a shot during the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship on Friday. — AFP
Abu Dhabi: Thomas Pieters was left to rue a costly bogey on his last hole as the Belgian ended day two of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship as he had round one — a shot behind Martin Kaymer.
The 22-year-old looked to be turning the tables on Kaymer on Friday as a late-afternoon surge saw him threaten to overtake the three-time champion much like Kaymer had done to him 24 hours before.
Starting off from the 10th tee Pieters carded six birdies and went bogey-free up until the sixth hole to move level with an already-finished Kaymer on a 13-under par 131. However with three holes left to play Pieters couldn’t take advantage of the first two – including the par-five eighth – and needed five strokes for the ball to drop on the par-four ninth.
“I started off well and just struggled coming in a little bit” he said. “It was a good and solid day with a rough finish. I started hitting it off line the last couple of holes but I managed some goods saves and then bogeyed the ninth. I hit a bad drive though there so I deserved it. But I’ve made two bogeys in two rounds so I’m not going to beat myself up about it.
“I’ll approach this weekend the same as I have done today (Friday) and yesterday (Thursday) and just be calm patient and simply do a lot of the little things right.
“I’m just trying to do all the little things right and – hopefully – it comes together with a good score.
“I want to win that’s for sure; I wouldn’t be in this position if I didn’t.” That task might prove tough nonetheless as Kaymer has looked in peerless form over the first two days and he seems set to take away a fourth crown in 10 years here on current evidence.
“I just played really well again today” said the 30-year-old who shot five-under par to add to his overnight 64. “I didn’t make as many putts as yesterday (Thursday) but I played solidly; I hit a lot of fairways and gave myself plenty of chances. The strokes were fine. You cannot make them all but I’m just playing really well right now.
“The way I’ve hit the ball the last couple of days has been pretty good. I’d say I’ve made around 80 to 85 per cent of the realistic birdie chances so I haven’t missed much. The game doesn’t feel like there is much going wrong. With the way I’m hitting the ball you can build up quite a nice bit of confidence from it.”
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