ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Martin Kaymer shot a 7-under-par 65 Friday in the United Arab Emirates and stretched his Abu Dhabi Golf Championship lead to six strokes.
Kaymer led by one stroke after the first round and saw his advantage balloon during the second round while setting a tournament record with a 36-hole total of 13-under 131. He beat the previous Abu Dhabi Golf Club record, set last year by Phillip Price, by three strokes.
Henrik Stenson was alone in second place, at 7-under 137 halfway through the tournament after a second-round score of 70. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Steve Webster, each of whom shot 68 Friday, were tied for third at 6-under 138.
Kaymer the European Tour rookie of the year in 2007, birdied Nos. 1 and 3 right out of the gate and answered a bogey at No. 6 with birdies at 7 and 8 to get to 3-under on the day.
He beat par on three of the first four holes on the back nine and had three consecutive pars before a birdie at 17 and a par at 18 for the two-day course record.
