Dubai Desert Classic Round 2 as it happened - Rory McIlroy three shots behind leader Jamie Donaldson

A round of 68 from Welshman Donaldson gives him one-shot lead over Haotong Li, with a number of players having to return early on Saturday morning to complete second round after fog delayed start.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 25:  Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Sergio Garcia walk down the fairway on the par 4, ninth hole followed by large crowds during the first round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club on January 25, 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
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6.10pm We are done for the day. The horn has gone to end play and a number of players, including Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson will have to come back on Saturday morning to complete their second rounds.

McIlroy had just parred the 11th hole to remain at -10, three shots behind clubhouse leader Jamie Donaldson.

That is it for Friday's action. Saturday promises to be a thriller.

6pm The light is beginning to fade quickly at Emirates Golf Club and there will not be much more play remaining of the day.

Rory McIlroy's serene progress was interuppted by a bogey at the eighth, but he has just got a birdie on the 10th to get himself back to -10.

That is three shots off clubhouse leader Jamie Donaldson.

Of the other players still on the course, Sweden's Alexander Bjork is also on -10 after 11 holes, while Lasse Jensen and Chris Paisley are both -9 with five holes to go.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot during the round two of the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 26, 2018, in Dubai. / AFP PHOTO / KARIM SAHIB
Rory McIlroy in action during his second round. Karim Sahib / AFP

5.05pm Through seven holes and Rory McIlroy remains a man on the move. He is three under so far and is up to a tie for fourth, three shots behind clubhouse leader Jamie Donaldson.

Haotong Li birdied the last hole of his round for a six-under 66 and he is one behind Donaldson on -12.

Defending champion Sergio Garcia dropped a shot on the sixth to drop back to -5 and the Spaniard is having to look behind himself at present as much as forward with the projected cut at the moment being -4.

Dubai-based amateur Rayhan Thomas is putting in a competitive performance. He is two under for the day after birdies at the first and third and he is -1 after four holes. A lot of work to make it to the final two rounds but still an excellent performance so far.

4.05pm It was not as spectacular as his opening round 62, but Jamie Donaldson remains out in front, for now at least, at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

He carded a 69 today and he is in the clubhouse on -13 with much of the field still out on the Majils course at Emirates Golf Club.

Branden Grace is also finished for the day at -11, with Haotong Li on the same score with one hole to play.

Rory McIlroy is bidding for a third Dubai title and he has started his second round well and is two under after three holes to move to -9.

Defending champion Sergio Garcia has also picked up an early shot and is now -6.

3.30pm Jamie Donaldson is back out on front on his own on -12 as a double bogey from Miguel Angel Jimenez on the 15th hole of his round has dropped him back to -10.

Donaldson has three holes of his round to play, but it is Branden Grace who has set the clubhouse benchmark. The South African went around in seven-under 65 to move upto -11.

Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson are now out on the course as well. The trio's tee time was 3.10pm, almost three hours later then scheduled due to the fog this morning.

2.45pm We have joint leaders at the head of the field. A birdie on the 12th hole has moved Miguel Angel Jimenez level with Jamie Donaldson on -12 at the top of the leaderboard at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Donaldson had moved to -13 at the 10th hole, but promptly bogied the 11th to drop back to -12.

Branden Grace is the biggest mover so far. The South African is seven-under through 15 holes to be -11 and one shot off the lead.

The trio of Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson are due out on the course in less than half an hour at 3.10pm.

1.40pm Jamie Donaldson is coming up to the turn on his second round and he is -2 through eight holes. The overnight leader remains one ahead at the front on -12.

His nearest challenger is 2010 champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, who is -10 after going five under through nine holes.

Australian Andrew Dodt had been level with Donaldson for a short time on -11 but a bogey on his 14th hole has dropped him to -10.

12.25pm Overnight leader Jamie Donaldson has begun his second round and he has kept his form up from Thursday as a birdie on the third has moved him to -11.

That is one clear of Australian Andrew Dodt, who is five-under through his first nine holes to be -10 at the turn.

Meanwhile, we have a hole in one to report at the seventh as Matthew Southgate's tee shot finds the hole on the par-three hole. It moves him to -5 for the tournament.

Just a reminder that due to the fog delays the advertised tee times are somewhat different, with the trio of Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson not teeing off until 3.10pm this afternoon.

11.10am Play has now been underway for more than a hour at Emirates Golf Club and Australian Andrew Dodt has made a fast start.

He is -3 for the day after just four holes of his second, an eagle at the 13th (he started at the 10th) has moved him to -8 for the tournament, two shots off leader Jamie Donaldson, who tees off at 11.30am.

10.05am Play is now underway on Day 2 following the delay and it has shaken up the schedule for the rest of the day.

Overnight leader Jamie Donaldson will now tee off at 11.30am, some three hours later then he had been due to.

The star trio of Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson are not teeing off now until 3.10pm and it will be unlikely that they will be able to finish their 18 holes today.

9.50am We will finally have play. The action is due to start at 10am. Almost three hours after it had been due to begin.

9.35am The fog is not going anywhere at present. The European Tour have come that the proposed start times have been put back 'indefinitely'. Players will be given a 30-minute notice period once play will begin.

It is already looking very unlikely that everyone will finish their second rounds on Friday and it will spill over to Saturday.

8.40am The start of the second round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic has been delayed due to heavy fog that has hit the UAE this morning.

Action was due to begin at 7.10am at the Majils course at Emirates Golf Club, but will not now begin until visibility has improved.

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Omega Dubai Desert Classic groups and tee times (UAE) - Round 2

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Overnight leader Jamie Donaldson, who had hit a 10-under 62 on Thursday, had been due to be one of the early players on the course, with his tee time having been scheduled for 8.40am.

Rory McIlroy, the four-time major winner, who is three shots off the lead, was scheduled to tee off at 12.20pm alongside Sergio Garcia (-5) and Henrik Stenson (-2).

Organisers have just now there will be a 1hour and 50 minutes delay to tee times when proceedings do start, which would mean McIlroy, Garcia, and Stenson teeing off around 2.10pm and Donaldson at 11.30am.