ABU DHABI, Jan 20: South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel fired a 66 to lead at the halfway stage of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship on Friday.

The South Africa eagled the par five 10th and rolled in five birdies, and a bogey, for a nine-under-par 135, one stroke ahead of Denmark’s Soren Hansen and Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina who exploited calm conditions in the morning.

Hansen followed his opening day 70 with a superb 66 while Gonzales carded a back-to-back 68. The chasing pack, led by world number two Vijay Singh, had struggled after the wind rose in the afternoon.

Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand shot 69 to lie seven-under after two rounds of the European Tour event.

At six under were Fiji’s Singh, Chris DiMarco, Gregory Havret, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, Portugal’s Jose-Filipe Lima and Britain’s David Lynn.

Singh shot a 70 and American DiMarco a 67.

Leading second round scores

135 - Charl Schwartzel 69-66

136 - Ricardo Gonzalez 68-68, Soren Hansen 70-66

137 - Thongchai Jaidee 68-69

138 - David Lynn 69-69, Gregory Havret 70-68, Chris DiMarco 71-67, Miguel Angel Jiminez 70-68, Henrik Stenson 69-69, Vijay Singh 68-70, Jose Filipe Lima 70-68

139 - Ignacio Garrido 70-69, Damien McGrane 70-69, Steve Webster 73-66, Sergio Garcia 70-69, David Park 73-66

Campbell leads

PALM DESERT (California): Chad Campbell will never be confused for a celebrity, but the easy going golfer was thrust into the midst of three rock stars at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Second-round leading scores:

129 - Chad Campbell 63-66

133 - Pat Perez 60-73, John Senden 70-63

134 - Olin Browne 65-69, Steve Elkington 64-70

135 - Phil Mickelson 66-69, Tom Pernice 65-70, Kevin Sutherland 68-67

136 - Billy Andrade 68-68, Alex Cejka 69-67, Joe Durant 71-65, John Huston 65-71, Lee Janzen 71-65, Richard S. Johnson 67-69 Joe Ogilvie 66-70, D.A. Points 69-67, Scott Verplank 68-68, Mike Weir 67-69

137 - Arjun Atwal 70-67.—Agencies