• Qatar Masters, Round Two

Kaymer and Garcia make their moves

Sergio Garcia made six birdies in his round © Getty Images

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Qatar Masters leaderboard

Martin Kaymer and Sergio Garcia put themselves in position to challenge for the title at the halfway mark of the Qatar Masters.

The Ryder Cup stars posted scores of 67 and 66 respectively on day two to move into a share of the leader at nine-under.

Kaymer put himself firmly in contention with a round of 67. The German has been a player transformed since sinking his crucial putt at the Ryder Cup and he looked on good terms with himself in Qatar. His putter was particularly potent, as he knocked in five birdies (one of which was a chip in) as he moved to nine-under for the tournament.

Garcia was one of the later starters and had to contend with breezy conditions, but he combated it superbly. His iron play was as good as ever and he converted six of the chances he made to post a 66 and move to nine-under.

Australian Marcus Fraser was another player to card a 69 to move to nine-under alongside Kaymer, Garcia and Ricardo Santos, while George Koetzee , Thorbjorn Olesen, Michael Campbell, Gary Lockerbie and Felipe Aguilar are a shot further adrift.

Justin Rose's challenge faltered on the back nine, as he carded a one-under 71. Having produced a polished effort in his opening round, which was soured by a one-stroke penalty, he set out nicely on day two and got himself to six-under at one stage thanks to two birdies on his outward nine. Things started to unravel on his 10th as a wayward tee and difficult lies cost him a shot on the par five. He surrendered a further shot to the card on his 15th and although he made a birdie two on his penultimate hole, it left him on five-under after 36 holes.

"I was going along nicely, but then made a poor choice I think on the par five," he said. "I pushed it and that made me a bit flat, to be honest with you."

Paul Casey put together an impressive round of 68 to climb to six-under, but his playing partner Colin Montgomerie will not be around for the weekend after slumping to a 79.

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