American Johannes Veerman is firmly in contention at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after carding a five-under 67 on day two.
The 32-year-old made four birdies on the front nine before picking up two more shots on ten and eleven. Veerman, however, failed to add any more birdies to his scorecard on the seven remaining holes and dropped a shot on 15.
The exquisite Yas Links once again appears to be a low-scoring venue, with the greens rewarding well-struck putts.
“The wind picked up a little bit, but overall, it was fairly calm, and I think the course fairways are playing fast. Greens are actually quite receptive, and the greens are perfect,” Tommy Fleetwood said after his record-equalling 62.
Rory McIlroy also praised the incredible condition of the course during his pre-tournament press conference. Now, Veerman, who was part of the first group out on Friday, is the latest player to laud the greens in Abu Dhabi.
What DP World Tour players are saying about Yas Links
- READ MORE: The first ex-LIV Golf player could return to PGA Tour in 2025 as he’s close to earning card
Speaking during his post-round media duties, Veerman revealed that his group agreed the surfaces were the best they would ever putt on.
“I was the first off this morning, and you know, so you don’t really have to sleep on a whole lot. You just kind of wake up, and off you go,” the American said.
“I got off to a great start again. This course is in such good condition. Me and the guys in the group were saying this is the best putting surface you will ever putt on because it’s, first off, perfect greens. It was real fun to play today.”
Low weekend in store at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
As the Race to Dubai heats up, some thrilling golf could be set to take place at Yas Links this weekend.
Clearly, the field is enjoying favourable conditions. The ball is travelling miles, the wind is down, and the greens are pure. This combination results in extremely low scoring.
| Race to Dubai ranking | Player | Race to Dubai points |
| 1 | MCILROY, Rory | 4,532.33 |
| 2 | LAWRENCE, Thriston | 2,959.94 |
| 3 | HØJGAARD, Rasmus | 2,612.05 |
| 4 | HORSCHEL, Billy | 2,480.00 |
| 5 | FLEETWOOD, Tommy | 2,066.01 |
| 6 | MANASSERO, Matteo | 2,039.03 |
| 7 | NORGAARD, Niklas | 2,027.03 |
| 8 | SVENSSON, Jesper | 1,977.34 |
| 9 | MACINTYRE, Robert | 1,975.65 |
| 10 | HOSHINO, Rikuya | 1,820.11 |
Veerman is currently 40th in the rankings and on course to earn a spot in next week’s DP World Tour Championship.
The American has enjoyed a solid run of form lately, finishing 14th at the Genisis Championship and Andalucia Masters. Furthermore, Veerman placed eighth at the Open de France.
Veerman’s impressive second round at Yas Links was entirely predictable, and the 32-year-old will now be looking to place himself in contention ahead of Sunday’s final round.
“This is why we all play golf,” Veerman added. “Because you want to be in these situations and feel the pressure, and it’s great to feel uncomfortable. It’s very stressful at the same time, but that’s why you play to be here. You also try not to think too much about it.
“So it’s just weird, like a mental game you’re almost playing with yourself. But yeah, I’m very excited for the weekend.”
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
