Niall Kearney shot a six-under 66 — slicing a shot off his day-old career-best—to scorch up the leaderboard in the Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World.

Aiming to “enjoy” his golf with his dad Joe on his bag, the Dubliner (32) made an eagle and five birdies on the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, dropping just one shot to move up to tied 21st on 12-under par.

Scores

“I’m playing very solid golf,” Kearney reported, delighted with his pre-tournament preparation with coach Eddie Doyle. “I did some great prep with Eddie, dialling in the wedges and getting the swing in shape. We put in a lot of hours.”

Starting on the back nine, the Royal Dublin man three-putted the 233-yard 11th but birdied the 12th and 14th before knocking in a four-footer for an eagle two at the driveable 16th.

He went on to birdie the 18th, first and seventh to lie nine strokes behind England’s Andy Sullivan, whose 68 gave him a two-stroke lead over Matt Wallace on 21-under par.

In the South African Open, Cormac Sharvin shot 78 to miss the cut on six-over as Jonathan Caldwell had a 10 at the par-five 18th (his ninth) in a 79 that left him a shot further back at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. Scores

South African’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout continued his bid for back-to-back victories, carding a second successive 67 to share the halfway lead with Welshman Jamie Donaldson, who shot 63, on 10-under.

On the PGA Tour, Graeme McDowell is poised to miss the cut by two shots after a level par 71 left him tied 81st on one-over in the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico.

Emiliano Grillo shot a 63 to lead by four shots on 13-under from Tom Hoge (67) and Tony Finau (66) with overnight leader Russell Knox (69) five back on nine-under when play was suspended due to darkness. Scores

On the LPGA Tour, Leona Maguire carded a three-over 74 in the Volunteers of America Classic in Dallas to make the cut with ease. Scores

The Cavan star finished the day tied for 39th on four-over, eight shots behind Jessica Korda (69), Yealimi Now (66) and Anna Nordqvist (68) who lead by a shot from Lindsey Weaver on four-under.

Stephanie Meadow shot a two-over 73 to lie tied 56th on six-over, two shots inside the cut mark.