DUBAI: Tiger Woods had the round of the day at the Dubai Desert Classic Friday, but it was Ulster's Golden Boy Rory McIlroy who held on to the lead at the halfway stage of the Gulf's showcase tournament. Woods produced his best golf of the year for a six under 66 to bound into contention for a first title in 15 months. He will go into the weekend on seven under par, four strokes shy of McIlroy who added a 68 to his opening blast of 65 to stand at 11 under. In second place a stroke off the lead is back-to-form Sergio Garcia who came in with a second straight 67. He is level with South Africa's Thomas Aiken, who has had identical scores to the Spaniard. Playing alongside the two men ahead of him in the rankings, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, the world No. 3 Woods looked comfortable and relaxed as he took advantage of perfect morning playing conditions to roll in six birdies, all from within fairly comfortable putting range. “I've played myself right back in the tournament,” he said “I cleaned up the round. I didn't make as many mistakes as I did yesterday and I think I hit the ball a little better today.” Woods' score bettered the two three-under 69s he returned two weeks ago in the first two rounds at Torrey Pines in California when he opened his year with a disappointing tie for 44th place in the USPGA Tour event. Westwood had a 70 and was two back from Woods on five under. Kaymer had a 71 and is at four under. McIlroy, whose 65 was the talking point of Thursday's opening round, bogeyed the second hole to let slip the lead. But birdies at the seventh and the ninth took the 21-year-old from Hollywood near Belfast to the turn in 34 and he rejoined Aiken atop the leaderboard with another pair of birdies at the 12th and 15th. He took the sole lead by sinking a 12 foot putt at the par-five last for a round of 68. Steve Webster of England was alone in fourth place at eight under par after shooting a 68, while four players shared fifth place with Woods on seven under. Marino, Points take charge In California, Americans Steve Marino and D.A. Points charged into a share of the lead in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Thursday as three-time champion Phil Mickelson made an erratic start. Marino birdied three of his last four holes for a seven-under-par 65 at Spyglass Hill, one of three venues being used this week, while Points opened with a seven-under 63 at Monterey Peninsula. Germany's Alex Cejka, who recorded the first albatross of the PGA Tour season when he holed out with a three-wood from 240 yards at the par-five 10th, his opening hole, was next best after firing a six-under 64 at Monterey. World No. 4 Mickelson, however, mixed three birdies with four bogeys, two of them in his last five holes, to card a one-over 71 at Monterey. Among the bigger names competing in the sixth event of the PGA Tour season, three-time major winner Padraig Harrington and former world No. 1 Vijay Singh opened with matching 69s at Pebble Beach. Davis Love III, playing in his 25th consecutive Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, carded a 70 while fellow American Dustin Johnson, champion here for the last two years, returned a 71. Lewis, Smith tied for lead In Australia, American Stacey Lewis and Australian Kristie Smith shot 7-under par 65s to take a share of the second-round lead at the Australian Ladies Masters Friday. Lewis and Smith were at 12-under-par 132 after 36 holes at Royal Pines. Yani Tseng of Taiwan shot 66 and was in third place, a stroke behind. Six players were tied for fourth, two strokes back: Germany's Sandra Gal (64), American Ryann O'Toole and South Africa's Ashleigh Simon (66s), Ahn Shin-ae of South Korea and England's Melissa Reid (67s) and Maria Hernandez of Spain (68). English veteran Laura Davies shot 67 and was at 136, four behind. Seven-time winner Karrie Webb shot 71 and was five behind.
