Phillip Price came from nowhere to go into the weekend with a one-shot lead at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship after carding a seven-under-par 65 for a 10 under 134 overall.

Following a three-under-par 69 in the opening round, Price was in fine fettle today as he made eight birdies and just one bogey to move one shot clear of closest challenger Padraig Harrington.

The Irishman had carded three successive birdies from the tee-off and then added a further two on his way to completing his first nine holes.

But Harrington then endured a less prosperous run coming home and a disappointing bogey on the ninth, his 18th, meant he had to settle for a nine-under-par 135.

A number of yesterday's early pacesetters teed off in the afternoon but were unable to challenge Price's place at the top.

Overnight leader Phillip Archer suffered a disappointing day as he made par on his first nine holes and endured a worse run coming home, carding three bogeys and making par on the rest for a three-over-par 75.

As a consequence he dropped to six under overall, as did Nick Dougherty who yesterday had moved into a promising position only for it to fall away somewhat today.

The Liverpudlian had ended the first round second on the leaderboard but was unable to take advantage of Archer's poor display as he himself managed only to make par, carding two birdies and two bogeys.

Retief Goosen had looked like he would close in on Price at the top when he carded birdies on the first and second but three bogeys and just one more birdie meant he joined Archer and Dougherty on six under.

Miguel Angel Jimenez enjoyed a good round as he shot a seven-under-par 65, an eight under 136 overall, to move up to third on the leaderboard. Alongside Jimenez are Shiv Kapur, Nick O'Hern and Alessandro Tadini.

Defending champion Chris DiMarco is three shots behind the Jimenez after he carded a a two-under-par 70, he is joined by Paul Casey after the Englishman produced a solid four under 68. Colin Montgomerie is one shot behind the pair with a four under 140.

Last year's runner up Henrik Stenson had a disappointing day on the course after finishing joint second yesterday.

The Dubai-based Swede could only make par with bogeys on the tricky par-four sixth and 12th proving to be his undoing.

Of the five Irishmen who started out in Abu Dhabi this week, only Peter Lawrie failed to make the cut. The Dubliner shot 73 to be level par and one shot outside the cut mark. Graeme McDowell, making his seasonal debut, squeezed into the weekend after his level par round left him on one under.

Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy are both well-placed after a pair of 68s left them both on four under and inside the top 30 at the halfway stage.