McIlroy reclaims lead with eagle

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The 19-year-old first-round leader drained a 25-foot putt at the last after safely playing his approach to the left of the flag with a precise six-iron to move a shot clear of in-form South African Louis Oosthuizen and Dubai-based Henrik Stenson at 12-under-par.

Abu Dhabi and Qatar runner-up Oosthuizen picked up seven shots on the back nine which included a hole-in-one to card a seven under 65 to move alongside Stenson.

After the second rounds were finally completed on Saturday after six hours were lost to fog over the last two days, the third round will be played from two tees and in a three ball format in an attempt to finish as many rounds as possible by this Saturday night.

But the likes of McIlroy and Stenson are expected to have to still play around 25 holes on Sunday.

World number 39 McIlroy, who is still searching for his maiden Tour win after two play-off defeats last year, had started his second round yesterday evening and briefly dropped back to seven under after dropping a shot over three holes before bad light stopped play.

But he returned this morning to follow up his first-round eight under 64 with three birdies in seven holes around the turn before his final hole heroics.

Justin Rose joined Australian Richard Green tied for fourth at 10 under after carding a second round 66.

On Friday 1997 champion Green leapt up the leaderboard with a bogey-free nine-under-par 63.

Frenchman Gregory Havret (68) sits alone at nine under, with Robert Karlsson (71), world number two Sergio Garcia (66), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (70) and Abu Dhabi winner Paul Casey (68) a shot further off the pace.