ABU DHABI: Three-time Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Martin Kaymer once again showed his prowess at Abu Dhabi Golf Club with a second round of 66 to lead by a shot heading into moving day.
Kaymer’s second 66 of the week included six birdies, an eagle and a bogey, with a clutch birdie putt on the 18th putting him out in front of Rafa Cabrera Bello, who moved to 11-under for the tournament after his morning round of 66. Ireland’s Paul Dunne, England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Kiradech Aphibarnrat sit in tied-third on 10-under, with Henrik Stenson and 2014 Champion Pablo Larrazabal among the four-man group at 9-under.
Asked if he expected to start his first event of 2017 so well, Kaymer said: “You never know, after a long break like that. I didn’t play a tournament for seven weeks. Then you come out here and shoot 12-under par after two rounds, obviously a brilliant start.
“For me it’s always a nice tournament to start my season with. I’ve won here a few times in the past. It’s a good feeling with the practice that you put in over the last two months pays off right away. So far, very positive.
“But I felt like I played a little bit better than yesterday. It was a bit more difficult today with the wind, especially the first nine. I struck the ball a little bit better and I made a few long putts today, same as yesterday.”
Cabrera Bello, who finished 8th in last season’s Race to Dubai, capitalized on superb conditions on The National Course to set an early clubhouse lead.
“Obviously happy again,” beamed Cabrera Bello. “I felt I continued the line of play of yesterday. I played really good.
“It was very nice this morning. Not a breath of wind. The ball was rolling on the green perfectly. I managed to putt very good and kept myself out of trouble. Didn’t do those mistakes I did yesterday off the tee. In the end, very pleased with minus six.”
Headline American duo Dustin Johnson and defending Champion Rickie Fowler began to show signs of their world-class ability on day two, as the pair shot matching rounds of 68 to beat the 2-under cut mark.
“It would have been nice to play the last couple a little bit better,” said Fowler after his round. “But solid day. Obviously left myself kind of up against the wall yesterday to make sure I got into the weekend today. Happy about that. We’ll keep building on that.”
The joint-lowest round of day two came from amateur Curtis Luck, a beneficiary of a Championship invite. The talented Australian carded a 7-under par 65 to sit comfortably in tied-12th heading into the final two days. Luck’s fellow amateur in the field, UAE-based Rayhan Thomas, produced an impressive display for his 17 years, but a round of 75 left him five shots short of the cut on his second European Tour appearance.
The tournament saw a bumper crowd on ‘Ladies Day’, as visitors soaked up the sun and activities in the Village. A highlight of the day saw lucky Championship-goer Megan Derricott win a trip for two to New York Fashion Week with Etihad Airways in the highly contested ‘Best Dressed’ competition, judged by Emirates Woman magazine.
The fun continues on Saturday with the Championship offering free entry for anyone wearing Championship red. Fans, families and friends will enjoy sports activities, delicious food truck cuisine and competitions in the Championship Village, in between watching the likes of Henrik Stenson, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Martin Kaymer compete on course.
Kaymer on top in Abu Dhabi golf
Kaymer on top in Abu Dhabi golf
Arsenal thrash Villa 4-1 while Chelsea and Man Utd both held
- Arsenal end Aston Villa’s 11-game winning streak
- Wolves earn third point of season against Man United
LONDON: Arsenal closed out 2025 in emphatic fashion, smashing third-placed Aston Villa 4-1 on Tuesday to surge five points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers, who collected their third point of the season, while Bournemouth grabbed a point at stuttering Chelsea, forcing a 2-2 draw after a frantic first-half display.
Man United are sixth, level on 30 points with fifth-placed Chelsea.
At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal slammed the door shut on charging Villa, ending their club-record winning run of 11 games.
Goals by Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Zubimendi early in the second half gave Arsenal control of a game that had looked fraught with danger.
Gabriel bundled in the opener from a corner in the 48th minute before Martin Odegaard slid a pass through for Zubimendi to score four minutes later. Arsenal secured the points when Leandro Trossard fired home from the edge of the area before Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to add the fourth.
Ollie Watkins grabbed a consolation goal for Villa in stoppage time.
“I think it was amazing,” Jesus told Sky Sports. “It’s always hard to play against them... The mentality of the team is really, really growing and each game is growing even more and I think we are winning today because of the mentality.”
Arsenal top the standings with 45 points, while second-placed Manchester City can close the gap when they play at Sunderland on Thursday.
Villa are six points adrift of Arsenal.
It took six minutes at Stamford Bridge for Bournemouth to shock Chelsea when David Brooks grabbed the opener. Cole Palmer equalized from the spot in the 15th minute and Fernandez put Chelsea ahead with a bullet shot eight minutes later.
Justin Kluivert brought Bournemouth back level in the 27th, to grab a point, adding to the London side’s unenviable record of one win in seven league games. Chelsea sit fifth, while Bournemouth are 10 spots below them.
Man Utd struggle
Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee made the most of a rare start by giving the depleted hosts the lead with a deflected shot from the edge of the box in the 27th minute.
But Wolves managed to level just before the break thanks to a header from Ladislav Krejci.
Patrick Dorgu briefly celebrated what he thought was a 90th-minute winner, but it was chalked off for offside.
“We struggled in all the game,” United boss Ruben Amorim said. “We had a lack of creation... the fluidity offensively wasn’t there.
“We didn’t play well. When you don’t play well with the ball, you struggle without it.”
Wolves have three points from 19 games, 15 points from the safety zone.
Newcastle United’s Joelinton scored after 65 seconds and Yoane Wissa doubled their lead five minutes later in a 3-1 thrashing of 19th-placed Burnley, who are winless in their last 10 games.
Josh Laurent pulled one back in the 23rd minute, but Bruno Guimaraes sealed Newcastle’s rare away win with a goal in stoppage time.
Everton climbed to eighth in the standings with a 2-0 win over their former manager Sean Dyche and Nottingham Forest thanks to goals from James Garner and Thierno Barry.
West Ham United drew 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion in a game that featured three penalties in the first half.
Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta, from the penalty spot, scored before the break for West Ham, while Brighton’s Danny Welbeck struck from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute but fired another off the crossbar.
Joel Veltman scored for Brighton in the 61st minute to secure the draw.
There are four more games on New Year’s Day, including fourth-placed Liverpool hosting Leeds United at Anfield.
