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Friday, Nov 23, 2012 4:31 PM UTC

McIlroy, Donald share lead at 11 under in Dubai

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Topics: From the Wires,

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy moved to the top of the leaderboard with a 5-under 67 Friday in the second round of the Dubai World Championship.

The top-ranked golfer, who missed several makeable putts on the front nine and then saw an eagle putt roll past the hole on 14, tied Luke Donald (68) and Marc Warren (67) at 11-under 133.

“I continued driving the ball well today and gave myself plenty of opportunities,” said McIlroy, who has already won the European and PGA tour money titles. “Missed a couple of short ones on the front nine for birdies. But apart from that, it was a very solid round of golf and obviously in good position going into the weekend.”

Sergio Garcia, playing for the first time since having laser eye surgery, matched the course record with an 8-under 64.

Garcia started with four birdies on his first five holes and then had a string of birdies at the turn before holing a long putt for eagle on 14. But he shot into the water on 16 for a triple-bogey before recovering to finish with a birdie and eagle.

“Coming back from a long break, so trying to get some good vibrations going and I managed to finish better than that,” said Garcia, who is tied for 18th.

Donald joined McIlroy and Warren at 11 under with a short birdie putt on the 18th. Warren had a chance take the outright lead, but his 12-foot putt on the 18th came up short.

“Obviously, haven’t dropped a shot in 36 holes, so feel good about that,” said Donald, who finished with four birdies in a bogey-free round. “I had some opportunities, 10-foot, 15-footers on a few holes that I just misread. But that was a solid round of golf.”

Donald said he wasn’t getting his approach shots as close to the pin as the first day, but made up for it with the putter, including a difficult birdie on No. 9 and nice par save on 12.

“When I have myself a little bit of trouble out on the course, I was able to recover with the putter,” Donald said.

The 189th-ranked Warren, who has not won a tournament since 2007, matched the second-ranked Donald’s opening birdie and had five more, including a 12-footer on the 16th to move him into a tie with McIlroy.

“It was nice to be the Scot in the pack with the Englishman and the Northern Irishman,” Warren said. “It’s great to be in contention with guys like that. Looking down the leaderboard, it’s a high-quality leaderboard and doesn’t get any better anywhere in the world really.”

It was also a good day for the South Africans as 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (67) is only one stroke behind. He was joined at 134 by four-time tour winner Branden Grace (67).

Charl Schwartzel (67) and Richie Ramsay (68) were two shots off the pace, followed by another 10 players three strokes behind.

Several big names faltered, including fourth-ranked Lee Westwood (74). Two shots off the lead after the first round, Westwood bogeyed the 12th and 16th and then double-bogeyed the par-3 17th to fall eight shots off the lead.

Padraig Harrington, also two shots back after the first round, is five behind after a 71.

More Michael Casey.

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