Kiwi Duo Competing in $16M Abu Dhabi Championship
New Zealand golfers Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori are still contenders as the Abu Dhabi Championship reaches its midpoint. After the second round, Hillier climbed into a tie for 10th place, shooting a four-under 68 and standing at 10-under overall.
The 27-year-old Hillier recorded seven birdies but gave back some strokes due to three bogeys, including two on holes 15 and 17. He is part of a seven-way tie for 10th, trailing the leaders by four shots.
English players Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood currently share the lead. Fleetwood, who co-led after the first round, continued his strong performance with a six-under 66 in the second round. His scorecard features 15 birdies and just one bogey at the halfway point.
"Rai posted the joint best round of the day with an eight-under 64 to jump into a share of the lead. His round included five birdies and an albatross – holing out from 196m on the par-five second."
Kazuma Kobori struggled in the second round, shooting a three-over 73, dropping him to a tie for 24th after sharing the lead in round one. Despite three birdies and one bogey, a triple bogey on the 18th hole affected his score significantly.
At seven under par, Kobori remains well positioned and aims to improve his standing in the third round.
Current Standings Summary
- Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood lead the tournament.
- Daniel Hillier is in a tie for 10th place at 10-under par.
- Kazuma Kobori sits tied for 24th at seven under par.
Author’s summary: Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori remain competitive as the Abu Dhabi Championship reaches its halfway point, with English leaders setting a challenging pace.