Abraham Ancer maintained his one-stroke lead at the Saudi International on Friday — and could even afford a little wobble on the way in.

The Mexican picked up his first bogey of the week on the par-4 17th, but was still content with a 66 to go with his first-round  63 and an 11-under total, allowing him to hold the edge over American Cam Young, following his second consecutive 65 over the par-70 course at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Aussie Marc Leishman are a further stroke back in joint-third, with a host of big names in the hunt, including last week’s Dubai Desert Classic runner-up Patrick Reed, England’s Paul Casey, fit-again Sergio Garcia and defending champion Harold Varner III.

“Having that bogey on 17 from a very scoreable spot kind of burns a little bit and dropping the first shot of the tournament,” said Ancer. But I’m extremely happy with my play and the way my body feels.

“Now I will go sleep as much as I can, maybe wake up around 6 or 7am, do some work then come out here two hours before, do another little warm-up, stretching, and chip and putt, hit some balls and get after it.”

Young added: “I think it’s been a lot of fun in the wind. We have to hit a bunch of shots, and I’ve played really nicely.

“If the wind stays kind of like this, I think 20 would have a really nice chance. It obviously could pick up and staying at 10-under could be an achievement, too. So we’ll see.”

Brooks Koepka hit the shot of the day on 18, blasting a wonderful bunker shot around 230 yards to around four feet.

“I think we were about 228, so it was a good 7-iron, just hit it right in there,” he said after his 67 took him to four-under. “Obviously it’s downwind, so anything short of that green is going to bounce up, and from there you’re just trying to put it on the green.

“I’m hitting better shots. I felt more rust come off today. That’s a goal of mine this week, get rid of that stuff and just be more consistent.”

It wasn’t such a good day for world No. 4 Cameron Smith and fellow major winners Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Bryson DeChambeau, who all missed the cut.