McGrane stays in touch behind Schwartzel

Colin Montgomerie has set himself a target of equalling the course record if he is to win the Abu Dhabi Championship.

The Scot, who considers his mental state to be at a 10-year high, played his way back into contention at a markedly less blustery course by shooting a four-under-par 68 yesterday.

But his score still leaves him five shots adrift of the overnight leader, Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, who shot the 66 Montgomerie feels he now needs.

"I play a good round of golf and I'm very comfortable, very confident on the golf course right now," said the eight-time Order of Merit winner.

"I'm a big believer in the fact that if you believe, you're halfway there, and I am right now.

"This is a good start, but I have to get myself in the top 10 on Saturday. I need a very good score, a 66 minimum, to have a chance of winning here."

To underscore his faith in positive thinking, the 42-year-old shrugged off a missed four-foot putt at the 14th when a birdie was in the offing.

"These things happen," he mused. "I don't like being five behind, to be honest, but five behind beats six behind and I'll go out on Saturday with the intention of making up ground."

Damien McGrane had four birdies in his second-round 69 that left him on five under par, just four shots behind the leader.

But Peter Lawrie (70) and Gary Murphy (74) missed the cut by some distance.

Montgomerie's presence at the inaugural running of this event was a massive boost for the promoters and they must have been praying the gusts that swirled around the course on the opening day would die down.

They duly did and the numbers dropped accordingly, with more birdies and eagles and even a hole in one from South Africa's Darren Fichardt.

The improved conditions certainly played into the hands of the big guns, many of whom had underperformed on Thursday.

Chris DiMarco enjoyed a fine round of 67 that hauled him into contention at six under, where he has been joined by a six-strong group including Swede Henrik Stenson, Vijay Singh and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

The American has ventured onto the European Tour for the first time, having previously expressed concern that he is missing out on the all-important money list on the US PGA Tour by doing so.

But he has been impressed by what he has seen in Abu Dhabi.

"This is certainly not a second-tier tour at all," he said.

"There are a lot of great players on this tour. You're not seeing much of a difference in the quality of players.

"The only thing I would say would be different is that the galleries would be a little bigger in the States.

"It would be great to win in a field like this. Obviously to do it in an inaugural event would be even more special."

To do so, DiMarco, who became something of a nearly man in 2005 after missing out on a number of wins, including the play-off loss to Tiger Woods at the US Masters, will have to overhaul the four players in front of him.

Thai Thongchai Jaidee sits at seven under and Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez and Soren Hansen of Denmark are tied at eight under, with Schwartzel one clear of them all.

The 21-year-old said: "I feel like I'm playing well. I made a nice eagle on the 10th, a nice 25-footer which always helps. We are only halfway there, but as long as I stay calm - and I'm very calm out there - I think my game is there."