Adam Scott has slipped down the field at the lucrative Dubai Desert Classic after a frustrating series of errors marred the run-in during the Australian star's second round at the Emirates Golf Club.
The 41-year-old recorded a bogey and a double bogey in his final five holes on Friday to severely damage his chances of being in the mix for the 1.2 million Euros ($A1.9 million) first prize.
Those three dropped shots in a level-par 72 meant that after being in a reasonable position to launch an attack over the weekend, Scott has instead slid back to three-under for the tournament, now eight shots behind Justin Harding, the leader at half-way.
Scott's major calamity, after his round started at the 10th hole, came at his penultimate par-four hole when he pushed his drive a long way right, failed to find the fairway with his second, missed the green with his third and ended with a short missed bogey putt.
In stark contrast, Harding enjoyed the distinction of birdieing the 18th hole twice on the same day as he opened up a two-shot lead over his pursuers.
The South African returned early to complete his first round and made a tap-in birdie at the par-five final hole to join Thursday's overnight leader JB Hansen at the top of the leaderboard with a seven-under 65.
He then went out again and holed a 22-footer on 18, even though that wasn't as much fun for him as the the eagle he recorded from 183 yards on the par-four sixth hole.
Harding's second-round 68 leaves him leading the way ahead of England's Tyrrell Hatton, who, along with his Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy, enjoyed the joint-best rounds of the day. Their 66s both included a chip in.
Erik van Rooyen (67) and Fabrizio Zanotti (70) were tied for third at eight-under.
McIlroy moved ominously into a tie for fifth on seven-under, and reckoned he had "hit the ball as good as I have in a long time."
Along with Scott, two other Australians made the cut, with Lucas Herbert one-under for the tournament after a 73 and Maverick Antcliff level par following a 75.
But rounds of 73 from veterans Wade Ormsby and Scott Hend, which left them at five-over, and a 74 from Jason Scrivener (eight-over) weren't enough for them to make it to the weekend's action.
