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Kaymer moves to lead in Abu Dhabi

Martin Kaymer, shown during last year's PGA Championships, which he won, has moved into the lead halfway through the European Tour's tournament in the United Arab Emirates. UPI/Brian Kersey
Martin Kaymer, shown during last year's PGA Championships, which he won, has moved into the lead halfway through the European Tour's tournament in the United Arab Emirates. UPI/Brian Kersey | License Photo

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Defending champion Martin Kaymer shot 7-under-par 65 Friday and jumped into the lead of the European Tour's Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

Kaymer is at 12-under 132 after 36 holes and moved from a tie for sixth into the lead by three strokes. First-round leader Charl Schwartzel is alone in second at 9-under 135. He shot 1-under 71.

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Graeme McDowell (70) is in third, four strokes behind Kaymer. Rafa Echenique (68), Niclas Fasth (71) and David Lynn (68) are tied for fourth at 7-under 137.

Windy and rains conditions affected play, as shown by Schwartzel's six-birdie, five-bogey round. Kaymer had the only bogey-free round among the top 49 players Friday, although Ricardo Gonzalez (68) erased his back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 5-6 with a hole-in-one on the par-3, 200-yard seventh hole. He is tied for 19th.

Kaymer started on the back nine and was 2-under after five holes. He opened his second nine with a birdie at No. 1, got to 4-under with a third-hole birdie and took the lead with consecutive birdies on Nos. 5-7.

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