Higgins Strong in School Run

David Higgins maintained his hopes alive of progressing to European Tour action after a second round 72 kept in a share of 26th place on -5 after the first two days of a most intense weekend.

The remaining Irish challengers are further adrift with Chris Devlin +2 at the end of Sunday

second round.

Jonathan Caldwell is  two shots further back and battling hard to recover from the opening day 78 with some more work left to do on Monday and Tuesday.

Cian McNamara of Limerick Golf Club finished day two with a 73 and at 9 over is currently in 153rd place. 

Sam Hutsby maintained his lead in the Qualifying School Final Stage as he followed up his stunning opening round of 60 with a three under par 69 on the Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya Resort, leaving him two shots clear of English compatriot Andy Sullivan.

The 23 year old had three birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the longer of the two courses to reach 13 under par for the tournament, while Sullivan was hot on his heels after carding a six under par 66 on the Stadium Course to move to 11 under.

Hutsby admitted he was surprised to card such a good score on what he felt was an average day on the course.

”I’m absolutely chuffed to bits with a 69 because I didn’t feel like I played that well,” said the Lee-on-Solent player, who finished second at the 2009 Qualifying School Final Stage. “But I've been trying to improve my B-game so when I'm not quite at the races, I’m just trying to eliminate the double-bogeys, so it’s really pleasing. My short game was really tidy today which kept me in it.”

Having started on the tenth tee, Hutsby stormed into a commanding lead with an eagle at the 15th, but dropped shots at the 16th and 18th. He recovered with two birdies on the way home, however, and was delighted with his position.

“It was a bit of a tough day but I am happy,” said the former Walker Cup player, who finished 48th in the Challenge Tour Rankings this year. “After yesterday it was always going to be hard to match that on a tougher course so I’m in a good position.

“It’s a long week, though. Obviously we only do this once a year - play six rounds in a row and two practice rounds - so it’s mentally tough as well as the fitness aspect. I've worked hard on that so coming down the last few holes I hit some good shots, so it’s nice to get myself in a comfortable position with four rounds to go.”

Sullivan impressed with the joint-lowest round on the Stadium Course so far this week, having opened with a 65 on the Tour course in round one.

The 25 year old was part of Great Britain and Ireland’s victorious Walker Cup team earlier this year, turning professional soon after and making it through last week’s Qualifying School Second Stage.

“It’s just nice to be playing well and seeing the ball go in the hole,” said Sullivan. “It’s a bit different from last week, when I left it until the last minute to get through.

“I just seemed to steadily make a few birdies. I felt confident coming here after the way I played last week in the Second Stage. I just didn’t hole enough putts, but in the last round last week I started to hole a few putts and I came into this week with a bit more confidence.”

Peter Gustafsson and David McKenzie were two shots further back on nine under as the Swede equalled the best round of the day on the Tour course with a seven under par 63.

He said: “After changing my coach about a month and a half ago it’s been improving my game. It has been quite a big change in the swing, but it’s been better in terms of ball-striking so every time I trust it, it goes perfectly. The putter is very hot too so it’s been a great day for me.”

Seven players were in a share of fifth place, including Lloyd Kennedy, who holed out from 216 yards for an eagle at the par four fourth hole on the way to a four under par 66 on the Tour course.

Three-time European Tour champion Nick Dougherty finished the day on one over par after a 73 on the Stadium course, while last year’s winner, Simon Wakefield, was three over par for the tournament after a two over par 74 on the Stadium Course.

Quiros and Donald Settle Dubai Titles

Spain's Alvaro Quiros produced a dramatic eagle on the final green to clinch a two-stroke victory over Paul Lawrie at the Dubai World Championship, while Luke Donald sealed his historic money-list double as he fired a final round of 66 to finish in third.

Quiros headed into the final day with a two-shot lead but, despite starting his round with three successive birdies, was overhauled by Lawrie after nine holes as the Scot breezed to the turn in just 31 blows.

But Quiros got his nose back in front with a birdie at the 14th and, after Lawrie had missed a good chance to draw level at the short 17th, closed out the win in stunning style on the final green with a snaking 40-foot putt.

But while the Spaniard bagged first prize, it was Donald who sealed the season-long Race to Dubai crown as he posted his second consecutive 66.

It means the Englishman now adds the European Tour title to the PGA Tour equivalent he won at the end of October - in so doing becoming the first man to win the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic.

Donald - who could only have lost the Race to Dubai crown if Rory McIlroy had won this week and he'd have finished outside the top nine - was a model of consistency again on Sunday, as he has been all year.

The 34-year-old did not drop a shot over his final 46 holes over the Earth Course as he ended on 16-under-par, three back of the winner and one behind Lawrie who made an important birdie putt of his own at the last to claim solo second.

"Congrats to Alvaro, what a three to finish and what an exciting way for the tournament to end," Donald told Sky Sports afterwards.

"I didn't really look at a leader board until 13 knew I was a few back, but I didn't see Rory's name on it and at that point I knew the double was mine and I was going to finish number one in Europe as well.

Mixed emotions

"It was good, it was hard to concentrate in a way, I had so many mixed emotions, but I tried to finish strong and three birdies was a nice way to finish the year off.

"It's something I really didn't think was that possible. I played extremely solid, consistent golf all year - winning four times and playing right at the right moments. It's testament to my hard work and it's nice to see it paying off."

Quiros was also in celebratory mood as he secured his second win of the season - and his second in Dubai - and his sixth career title on the European Tour.

Having fallen behind at the turn, the Spaniard found himself back on terms as Lawrie made bogey at 12 and never trailed again after taking advantage of his length to birdie the par-five 14th.

"It was unbelievable, obviously we weren't checking the leaderboards because Lawrie was playing good enough to put me under pressure today," he said.

"But after that I heard Luke's birdie on 17 and 18 and I said on the tee, 'this is unbelievable, this guy is impossible to leave behind!'

"But obviously it (the eagle at 18) was very special, I hit three wood from the tee and a great three-wood from a downhill lie and the putt, the putt is going to sleep with me tonight!

"He (Lawrie) was unbelievable, he was almost one putt per green. But at the same time I was playing good and that was the only thing I was thinking about.

"I was thinking if I'm good enough to stay in the same rhythm I'll be in contention - I don't know if I'm going to be the leader at the end of the 18 holes but I'm going to be in contention.

"I'm very pleased to finish 2011 winning twice, for many reasons but the main one is that the Ryder Cup team is next season and it's a good push for me winning this tournament."

Sweden's Peter Hanson shot a 67 to finish in fourth on 14-under-par, while Masters champion Charl Schwartzel posted the same to score to take fifth a shot behind.

Francesco Molinari and Louis Oosthuizen shared sixth, Robert Rock and Shane Lowry eighth, while another Spaniard, Pablo Larrazabal, rounded out the top ten.

Final leaderboard (GB & Ire unless stated)

-19 A Quiros (Spa)

-17 P Lawrie

-16 L Donald

-14 P Hanson (Swe)

-13 C Schwartzel (SA)

McIlroy Concedes as Quiros Leads

Alvaro Quiros leads Paul Lawrie by two shots going into the final round of the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World, as Luke Donald moved ahead of Rory McIlroy to take charge of The Race to Dubai.

Donald is poised to complete the best year of his golfing life in real style after a third round 66 left the World Number One is within touching distance of an unprecedented double.

"It's over - definitely," McIlroy said after a 71 dropped him from third to eighth in an event he has to win just to have a chance.

"And Luke deserves it."

Nobody has ever topped the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic in the same season, but after taking the US PGA Tour title in October by winning their final event there is even a chance for him to do the same on The European Tour.

Needing a top nine finish to clinch The Race to Dubai, Donald burst from joint 12th place at halfway to fourth spot on ten under par.

If McIlroy, who has been battling possible Dengue fever, fails to win tomorrow the race is all over regardless of where Donald finishes.

Spaniard Quiros still leads, but a bogey six on the last for a 70 and 14 under total means Europe's biggest hitter, for the fourth time in five seasons, is only two ahead of Scot Lawrie, who by contrast eagled the same hole.

"I'm still leading the tournament, even though the day wasn't the best one," said Quiros, who won this year's Omega Dubai Desert Classic. 

"I'm still hitting good shots and good putts, so this is the only thing that matters."

South African Louis Oosthuizen, like Lawrie a former Open Champion, is third a stroke further back after also handing in a 66.

Donald described his six-birdie, no bogey display as "the perfect round for me - exactly what I wanted."

He had started his first two rounds with a bogey, but this time it was with a 14 foot birdie putt and he added more on the second, fifth and eighth to turn in 32.

With no sight of McIlroy on the leaderboard by then, Donald picked up further shots at the 15th and 16th.

He is not taking anything for granted yet, though.

"You can't in this game. I would be foolish to think it's over," he said.

"Tomorrow it will be just like any other day in terms of my focus.

"It will be on trying to catch whoever is the leader and trying to win the tournament. I'm not going to count on anything.

"But if it all works out tomorrow night will be fun - it would be a pretty amazing feat. It's history."

McIlroy's girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki, the tennis world number one, turned up to watch on the back nine and saw the 22 year old come home in a four under 32 with birdies at the 11th, 12th, 16th and 18th.

But the damage came earlier. He drove into sand on the third, then ran up a double bogey seven at the long seventh after hooking into an unplayable lie in a bush with a five wood second and then leaving his chip short of the green.

"I'm tired. I'm very tired," he said.

"But I don't want to say that's the cause of playing the way I did on the front nine because I came back.

"I'm not 100 per cent, but that should not stop me. I was trying to stay patient and hit good shots, but I just couldn't do it.

"Luke has played well all year and I expect him to have another solid round. I don't think he's been given enough credit for the golf he's played, but from within the golfing family I am sure he will receive a lot of plaudits."

Quiros eagled the seventh from eight feet and had four birdies, but there were also four bogeys on his card.

His closest overnight challenger, Swede Peter Hanson, managed only a 71 and Lawrie seized the chance to be in the final group on the final day of the final event when he played the last six holes in five under.

The closing eagle followed birdies on the 13th, 14th and 16th.

Quiros Commands in Dubai with 64

Alvaro Quiros fired a flawless round of 64 to establish a four-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Dubai World Championship.

The big-hitting Spaniard started the day four off the lead after an opening 68 but was quickly into his stride with two birdies in the first four holes.

Another birdie at the eighth took him to the turn in 33, and he picked up three more shots before finishing in spectacular fashion, two huge strikes at the 620-yard closing hole setting up an eagle and a round of eight-under for the day.

"I hit a lot of good shots to the greens," said Quiros, a winner in Dubai back in February. "I've not been that precise from the tee to be honest.

"Yesterday I was hitting the driver and three-wood better than today, but the good score came today.

"There are some Spanish guys over there saying 'it's yours, you have it', but It's just the second round, we are just halfway, so it doesn't mean anything."

Having stood one ahead of McIlroy on the 18th tee, Quiros soon found himself four clear with the Northern Irishman failing to get up and down from a tricky spot back at the 17th.

And when McIlroy, chasing the victory he needs to have any chance of topping the Order of Merit, found trouble from the tee at the final hole he had to settle for a six, a disappointing round of 71, and suddenly five back.

Luke Donald put himself in a position to strike over the weekend with a round of 68 that saw him move up the leaderboard with a hat-trick of birdies to finish, his four under par total just three behind McIlroy.

It was a huge move for the world number one, who needs to finish ninth or better to clinch the Order of Merit even if McIlroy wins this week, as well as topping the PGA money list.

Approach

After parring the previous seven holes Donald suddenly sprang to life making 15-foot putts on the 16th and long 18th while holing from 10 feet in between.

"Just personally in terms of my mental approach, that was huge," he said. "It would be foolish of me to rely on him (McIlroy) not winning. I know what's at stake and it's big deal to me.

"I was frustrated out there. I tried to stay patient, but it's tough. I want to finish off what I came here to do and those last three holes brought a smile to my face.

"There's certainly a lot of pressure. I'm still making a few mistakes - maybe because of what's at stake. When there's a lot on the line you feel more nervous, but sometimes it's a good thing."

Overnight leader Peter Hanson, Paul Lawrie and Sergio Garcia were the most prominent players to lose ground on the rest of the field, the Swede rescuing his round with a birdie at the last to remain in the final group for round three.

Hanson failed to get anything going after his opening 64 but he hung in with successive birdies at 13 and 14 before getting up and down at the last to go round in level par.

Lawrie held a lead of three early in the day, picking up shots at the first two holes before nearly acing the fourth, but a bogey at the eighth was a portend of things to come and the Scot recorded three bogeys and a double coming home to slip back to six under par - he too finished on a high with a 15-foot birdie.

McIlroy will tee it up with Englishman Robert Rock on Saturday after adding a solid 69 to Thursday's 68 - matching five birdies with a couple of dropped shots.

Paul Casey made his move with a six-under-par 66 that included an eagle at the seventh, his round spoilt by a solitary bogey at the 17th leaving him in a tie for fifth with Lawrie.

The other round of 66 came from Sweden's Fredrik Andersson Hed, who was clearly irked by finishing his first round with four bogeys, starting as he did with a hat-trick of birdies with his only slip coming, like Casey, at the penultimate hole.

Separated by Price of Golf Ball

Between them they have earned over £6million on the European Tour this season and fortunes more away from the course.

Yet there is still a chance that Luke Donald could pip Rory McIlroy to the Race to Dubai money list title by just £3.55 - less than the cost of a golf ball - on Sunday.

McIlroy has to win the race-ending Dubai World Championship to keep his hopes alive and after an opening six-under-par 66, the 22-year-old US Open champion is in third place, two behind Swede Peter Hanson.

Donald, with the PGA Tour number one spot in America already in the bag, needs a top-nine finish to make sure of an unprecedented double and following a disappointing 72 he returned to the Earth course today in joint 26th position.

If McIlroy does win on Sunday and Donald is in a two-way tie for ninth, their respective earnings would be £3,430,138 and £3,430,141 - the tightest finish ever.

The Northern Ireland youngster has the momentum after winning the Hong Kong Open last Sunday with a closing 65.

He is still operating at less than full fitness, but said: 'To be honest, I'm sort of using it to my advantage in a way.

'It's sort of taken the pressure off me. I'm not 100 per cent and if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen and there's nothing I can do about it.

'You can just go about your game and try and play as well as you can.

I definitely don't feel invincible, but I feel like every time I tee it up I've got a good chance of shooting a good score.

'I don't think I've finished outside the top four since the US PGA (eight events ago - or 10 if you add a couple of four-man events) and everything seems sort of stress-free.

'It's not going to last forever, I'm sure. I'm sure there's going to be a point where I struggle, but right now it's nice to have that feeling.'

Donald was leading his only remaining challenger by three when he turned in 33, but he had to take penalty drops after driving into bushes on successive holes and then had a third bogey in a row.

'I felt very much in control and then I lost it,' Donald said. 'But this is two shots better than the first round last year and I still finished ninth. You've got to find the positives.'