Tough conditions at the DP World Tour Dubai Invitational on day two resulted in few low scores. Siem was one of nine under par.
Siem Posts Under-Par Round, Moves into Top Ten at DP World Tour
Marcel Siem followed up his solid first round with a strong second round at the DP World Tour, climbing several spots on the leaderboard. The German started with a birdie and added another at his fourth hole. Two bogeys prevented a better intermediate score, leaving Siem at even par heading to the back nine.
There, he got off to a dream start with two consecutive birdies putting him under par. A bogey briefly halted his momentum, but another birdie followed by five pars in a row saw Siem card a 70 (-2). As one of only nine players under par on Friday, he worked his way into the top ten heading into the weekend.
McIlroy and Lowry Battle for Lead
Playing together as on the previous day, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry engaged in another close duel for the lead. Lowry showed remarkable consistency with five birdies against two bogeys, pulling ahead from his playing partner to take the lead.
Joining Lowry at the top was Nacho Elvira, who posted a strong 69 (-3) with six birdies and three bogeys, sharing the best round of the day with Lowry.
McIlroy struggled mainly with water hazards, with balls in the water on holes 6 and 14 leading to bogeys. On the 18th, his ball narrowly missed the water, but despite a good recovery shot, he finished with another bogey. His round of +3 cost him three shots behind the leaders.
Von Dellingshausen Faces Water Trouble Again
For Nicolai von Dellingshausen, the second round was again unlucky. Battling increasing winds, he posted two bogeys and seven pars on the front nine for a solid but unspectacular score. A birdie on the 11th after a nine-meter putt sparked hope, but a double bogey on the 13th due to a water hazard dashed it. After two rounds, von Dellingshausen stands at +10.