DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 26: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his tee shot on the 8th hole during round two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 26, 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

By Kent Gray
Jamie Donaldson went to bed with the lead in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic but Rory McIlroy will wake early poised to relieve the Welshman of pole position.

A near three-hour delay for fog Friday means moving day at the $3 million European Tour event has become make up day. McIlroy, -10 when play was suspended due to darkness, will be into work early Saturday for the 7.30am resumption to round two (along with half the field – 66 players) and has seven holes, including two par 5s, with which to haul in Donaldson’s -13 mark.

“Yeah, two par 5s and obviously 17 is drivable so I’ve got some chances coming in but I just have to stay patient,” said the 28-year-old Northern Irishman.

“There’s some tough holes, as well, coming in. The first hole of the day tomorrow will be 12, which will be playing quite long. Hopefully I’ll take advantage of the par 5s and get myself in one of the last couple of groups tomorrow afternoon.”

The way he’s played the first 29 holes, it will be no surprise. McIlroy is three under for his second round after opening with a bogey-free 65.

“I’m in a good position. It was hard waiting all day to go out there. Got off to a really good start, three-under through five, and then made my first bogey of the week on the 8th, which was a bad tee shot. I nearly got away with a par but dropped a shot.

McIlroy escapes the sand on 8 en-route to his only bogey thus far. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

“But it was nice to get a shot back there on 10 at the end of the day. Hopefully I can come out in the morning and make a few more birdies and get closer to the lead.”

Would you rather be in this scenario or have your second round signed off?

“I don’t mind. It will probably be a good test for me to play 26 holes tomorrow. See how the body sort of responds to it.”

The third round will begin no earlier than 10.45am after the cut, projected at -4, is made. But with more fog forecast, the race could be on to find a winner come Sunday evening.

Donaldson will resume happy regardless of what McIlroy or any of the other front-runners still to finish do; Swede Alexander Bjork is at -11 with six to play while David Horsey (11 holes to play), Chris Paisley and Lasse Jensen (both five holes left) are all at -9.

Donaldson hits his tee shot on the 8th hole during round two. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

The Gleneagles Ryder Cup hero couldn’t keep up his scintillating first round form on Friday but a three-under 69 to back up the 62 has him well placed to kick on to a fourth European Tour title and his first since capturing the D+D Real Czech Masters in 2014.

“I don’t know where it [-13] will be at the end of the day, but I’m just concentrating on me and concentrating on putting that ball in those small fairways and taking my chances from there,” said the 42-year-old.

“It’s a tricky golf course that you’ve got to manage your way around well. I did that well today again, as I did yesterday.”

Donaldson slept on a one stroke lead over Haotong Li after the Chinese star repeated his opening 66 on Friday while Branden Grace is in the clubhouse a shot further back at -11 after a best of the day 65. It was a happy 32nd birthday for Australian Andrew Dodt who signed for a 69 to but the gifts belonged to another player on -8, Matthew Southgate, who was presented with a timepiece from the title sponsor after acing the par 3 7th en-route to a 68.

English amateur Todd Clements (69-70) looks set to play the weekend at -5 and while fellow MENA Tour players Luke Joy (71-71) and Jamie Elson (68-74) will have the weekend off after finishing at -2, there was no disgrace in their performances. Dubai-based Indian teen Rayhan Thomas resumes his second round at -1 and has 11 holes to produce something magical to make his second successive Desert Classic cut.