Matthew Fitzpatrick hopes to continue his love of Jumeirah Golf Estates' Earth Course this weekend after moving into position at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
The 26-year-old from England mixed seven birdies and three bogeys in his second round 68 to improve to eight under – two behind leader Patrick Reed.
The highlight of Fitzpatrick's round came when he holed a long birdie putt from off the green at the 17th to boost his chances of regaining the title he won in 2016.
“The swing really felt consistent this morning in the warm-up, and it showed when I got out on the golf course,” he said.
“This is a golf course I love. It's a golf course I've played well around before, and I'm really, really looking forward to the weekend.
“When scores are so low (at other venues) you can get away with errant tee shots and it becomes more of a putting competition but this course they've grown the rough in on the fairways and it's as firm and fast as ever.
“I've been in the position before to win around here. Obviously I know what it takes. But at the same time it's four years ago now. It's just a long time ago, unfortunately. But things change, my game changes, different swing thoughts.
“Honestly after the first two days, I don't want to jinx myself, touch wood here, but I definitely feel like my swing was way better these first two days than it was the year I won. But that's the way golf is. It happens like that. I've won when I've played poorly and I've not won when I've played brilliant.”
Fitzpatrick is looking forward to locking horns with Reed, who is aiming to become the first American to win the Race to Dubai.
And the five-time European Tour winner feels he has benefited from a brisk pace of play this week.
“It's always more fun in the last group,” he added. “That's where you want to be. That's what you play for.
“Just got to keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully stay in there for tomorrow, hang in and push on on Sunday.
“I despise slow play - me and Eric (Van Rooyen) are setting a good pace today and yesterday Viktor Hovland so it was right up my street.”
