Ewen Ferguson admitted he had “a little bit of luck” after he eagled the 18th hole to lead the Hero Dubai Desert Classic by a stroke at the midway stage.
The Scot’s second shot ended up five feet from the hole after he clattered his ball into the grandstand and it bounced back onto the green.
Ferguson knocked in the putt for a bogey-free seven-under 65 to move to 12 under, one clear of New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, who also eagled the last in his 65.
“I knew that the last couple of holes, you could take advantage of them,” he told BBC Sport.
“On 18, obviously a little bit of luck there. I felt I would’ve made birdie anyway but eagle’s just even better.”
Tyrrell Hatton had eight birdies as he also carded a 65 to match the lowest round of the day. He is alongside fellow Englishman Laurie Canter (68), South Africa’s Shaun Norris (67) and Australia’s Jason Scrivener (69) on eight under.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood (68) and Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin (69) are in a group at five under, while Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre is one further back after he had six birdies and three bogeys in a 69.
Rory McIlroy (71) is in a group of 11 players on three under, along with Scottish pair Richie Ramsay (71) and Calum Hill (74).
Spain’s Jon Rahm was among those to miss the cut. The two-time major champion had two double bogeys in a five-over 77 that saw him finish on two over par, two shots above the cut line.
