Curtis Luck moves into Abu Dhabi HSBC Contention
Curtis Luck
(USGA Photo)
ABU DHABI, UAE (January 20, 2017) -- After an even-par 72 in Thursdays first round it looked as if Curtis Luck might be fighting to make the cut. However, after a second round bogey-free 7-under 65 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Luck has put himself in contention for the title heading into the weekend. The Australian star will begin Saturday's third round just five shots off the pace currently being set by three-time Abu Dhabi HSBC winner Martin Kaymer.
Luck teed off on the 10th hole of Abu Dhabi Golf Club and it didn't take him long to get to work. He rolled in his first birdie on No. 11 and then he carded another three holes later. The strong start was nice but Luck was far from done going low on his opening side. Following a 15th hole par, Luck rattled in birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes to finish the side in a flurry that helped him post a 5-under 31.
The birdies didn't stop coming during Luck's second nine and he recorded two more birds on the 6th and 7th holes.
Luck will begin the third round tied for 12th along with among others Lee Westwood and American Peter Uihlein. In Saturday's third round Luck will tee off with Uihlein and Peter Hanson at 11:15 a.m. GST.
17-year-old Rayhan Thomas held steady in the second round but ultimately missed the cut at 3-over. Thomas was able to card birdies on the 10th and 16th holes during his final stroll around Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Thomas, from India, is currently the 102nd ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and the top-ranked amateur in the United Arab Emirates.
In September of 2016 Thomas made history when he won the Dubai Creek Open and became the first amateur to win an event on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Golf Tour.
ROUND ONE RECAP
World No. 2 Curtis Luck and Rayhan Thomas both opened the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with even-par 72's. They will begin the second round at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in a share of 75th place and with work to do to make the cut.
U.S. Amateur and Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Curtis Luck provided some early fireworks in his first round with an eagle on the par-5 2nd hole to reach 2-under. Luck wasn't able to keep the early momentum going, however, dropping strokes with three bogeys before rolling in a birdie on the 18th hole.
Luck had most of his Thursday success on the Abu Dhabi Golf Club par-5's, carding an eagle, birdie, a bogey and a par to play the holes in 2-under.
17-year-old Rayhan Thomas was impressive in his first round as he carded three birdies and three bogeys. Thomas birdied the 2nd hole, only to give back strokes on Nos. 4 and 5 before moving back to level par with a 6th hole birdie.
On the backside Thomas birdied once and bogeyed once. His birdie came on No. 12.
Henrik Stenson grabbed the first round lead with an 8-under 64. Stenson leads a group of four others including Martin Kaymer by two-strokes.