An eagle on the 13^th on Friday helped Shaun Norris to a five-under-par 67 in the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic, and he moved into a share of third at the halfway mark at the Emirates Golf Club.

Norris went through the front nine at one-under after making birdies on six and nine, and dropping a shot on eight. But he was error-free through the back nine, and he made full use of a good tee shot on the par-five 13^th for his eagle, and made birdies on 17 and 18 to finish strongly.

At eight-under-par through 36 holes, he was four strokes off the lead. Ewen Ferguson of Scotland was bogey-free for his seven-under 65, and he eagled the last as he deliberately overhit his approach to the par-five, and his ball bounced off the stand behind the green to within a few feet of the pin. He made the put to edge one clear of New Zealand’s Daniel Hiller, who also carded a bogey-free 65. Norris shared third with Australian Jason Scrivener and Englishmen Laurie Canter and Tyrell Hatton.

Robin Williams holed out for an eagle two on the 17^th to get his second round to three-under 69 after he hade three bogeys in a scrappy round. That left him at seven-under through 36 holes and in a share of seventh.

Louis de Jager had a two-under 70 to move to five-under and a share of 16^th, while Casey Jarvis had a level-par 73 to remain at three-under for the tournament in a share of 24^th. Dylan Frittelli carded a four-under-par 68 to move to three-under and a share of 33^rd. Jacques Kruyswijk had a two-under 70 to get into a share of 55^th on one-under.

Jayden Schaper made the cut on the number – level-par – after an error-strewn 73. Missing out on the weekend were Darren Fichardt, Thriston Lawrence, George Coetzee, Thomas Aiken, Dean Burmester, Brandon Stone and Ryan van Velzen.