Kiwi duo in contention in $16m Abu Dhabi Championship

Kiwi Duo Competes in $16m Abu Dhabi Championship

Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori are still in contention as the Abu Dhabi Championship reaches its midway point. Hillier, 27, moved into a tie for 10th place after the second round, posting a four-under 68 to reach 10-under overall. He made seven birdies, but three bogeys—including two on holes 15 and 17—cost him a few shots.

Hillier shares a seven-way tie for 10th, sitting four shots behind English leaders Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood. Fleetwood, who was joint leader after the first round, continued his strong performance with a six-under second round. At the halfway mark, Fleetwood’s scorecard shows just one bogey and 15 birdies.

Rai recorded the joint best round of the day with an eight-under 64, propelling him into a share of the lead. His round featured five birdies and an albatross, holing out from 196 meters on the par-five second hole.

Kazuma Kobori took a different path in his second round, shooting a three-over 73 and dropping into a tie for 24th place after sharing the lead in round one. Although he had three birdies and a bogey, a triple bogey on the par-five 18th left him with a disappointing score. Despite this, Kobori remains at seven-under and in a strong position to contend in the remaining rounds.

"His round included five birdies and an albatross – holing out from 196m on the par-five second."
"Fleetwood has just one bogey on his scorecard along with 15 birdies."

Author's summary: Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori remain competitive midway through the Abu Dhabi Championship, with Hillier tied for 10th and Kobori recovering from a tough second round to stay in the hunt.

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NZ Herald NZ Herald — 2025-11-08

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