Day two digest: Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Everything you need to know from day two at Emirates Golf Club.

Pepperell powered ahead, DeChambeau stayed in the hunt, Burmester kept it all in perspective and Karlsson proved that age is just a number on day two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Here is everything you need to know from the second round in the desert.

Eddie is feeling it in Dubai

Eddie Pepperell has never come across as a man who takes himself too seriously but he has been putting some serious work into his game recently. After two missed cuts, the Englishman has gone back to some old practice drills and moved to a claw putting grip, and the work paid dividends on Friday. He recorded seven birdies and two bogeys in a 67 that got him to eight under, a shot clear of defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, South African Dean Burmester and Swede Robert Karlsson. "I think regardless of what your hands are doing on the grip, great putters tend to look quite comfortable," he said. "When I set this way I look more comfortable which, in my mind and I think in the viewer's mind, should be more confident. It's been very good the past two days and I've been surprised with how good it's been. If I can keep doing that over the weekend with what I've been doing with the swing I think I'm going to make plenty of birdies which would be great."

DeChambeau dashes up the leaderboard

Bryson DeChambeau won this event last year with a 24 under total and, with decreased winds making scoring far easier than on day one, the fans were understandably excited when he made a birdie-birdie-birdie start to his second round. He could not quite maintain that pace but carded an excellent 67 that saw him - now carrying more muscle than 12 months ago - drive right up to the side of the green on the par four second and 17th. He did it all at a decent pace too and was delighted that every aspect of his game continues to evolve. "My wedge game has been immaculate, my putting has been for the most part a success and iron play has kept me in the proper place," he said. "I hit a couple of nice drives today and I'm getting better with my driving."

Burmester finds a new perspective

Sometimes we all need reminding that, even for those who make their living playing it, golf is just a game. Dean Burmester was handed that reminder on Wednesday as he and his family were involved in a four car collision on their way back from an aquarium in Dubai. Thankfully, only minor injuries were suffered and Burmester was able to tee it up as planned, putting himself right into contention heading into the weekend, and he revealed the incident had given him a new outlook on his game.

"It was quite hectic," he said. "There were four cars involved in the accident. Our Uber driver drove straight into the back of a Porsche and then we ricocheted onto another car. Luckily we're all okay, we're just bruised and battered and a little bit sore. A slight ankle problem but nothing too serious. My wife's got quite bad whiplash but other than that we're surviving and just happy to be here. After the car accident you realise what's important in life and I think I was taking golf a little too seriously. So I just kind of relaxed and looked at the family and we're kind of just enjoying our time, so that's been the biggest difference."

Karlsson rolls back the years

After Lee Westwood won last week at the age of 46, could fellow former European Number One Robert Karlsson do the same at 50? Karlsson admitted after carding his second round 68 that his focus for the rest of the year will be senior golf and his Ryder Cup Vice Captaincy, but he has two more days in the mix on the European Tour before that. "Yesterday on a very tough day I kept the ball in play and when I missed I was a little bit lucky, I hit it in the fairway bunkers instead of the rough," he said on Friday. "I holed a lot of important putts yesterday. I hit more fairways today and it was obviously much nicer weather, so today you can do a good score, I played nicely today."

Here comes Tommy

When Tommy Fleetwood carded an opening 75 on Thursday, it looked like his run of made cuts stretching back 18 months could be coming to an end. A day later he went ten shots better to card the lowest round of the week so far and was just four shots off the lead. He has now made 44 consecutive cuts worldwide. "To have played that consistently over that course of time is something that I'm proud of and I think it shows a lot about how I go about things, about the people that I work with and the preparation that we put in," he said. "Because I'm not going to have played well all those weeks and the standard of golf's getting higher and higher. I'm sure it's going to come to an end at some point but for now I'm just happy that I'm still here for the weekend."

Luck of the Draw

Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston and Viktor Hovland went head-to-head in a brand new European Tour Challenge: Luck of the Draw. In the bag there are 14 balls - one for each club. The players draw a ball for every shot and whichever they pick is the club they have to hit. The lowest score wins. Let’s find out how they got on…

No grass, no problem

You may have noticed there is a lot of sand here in the desert. Well that is no problem for these guys.