Dubai Classic: Bjorn winning Woods duel

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn is winning another thrilling duel with Tiger Woods in the Dubai Desert Classic with nine holes of their second round to play.

Two clear of the field after their opening rounds of 64, the pair found themselves overhauled first by Londoner Brian Davis and then by Indian Jeev Singh as they waited to resume.

But when they set off in the afternoon sunshine they were soon hogging the limelight again.

Bjorn grabbed five birdies in a brilliant front-nine 30 and Woods collected three birdies.

A meeting in the third round of the US Open last June saw Bjorn shoot 82 and the world number one open a 10-stroke lead with a 71.

But as they switched to the back nine here Bjorn was 13 under, Woods and Singh 11 under and Davis 10 under.

Davis's seven-birdie 65 meant a happy return to the scene of one of the worst experiences of his life.

Two years ago the 26-year-old fell ill at the end of the same tournament with what was diagnosed as chickenpox but turned out to be much more serious.

"I collapsed in my room, and my parents - whom I'd rung when I was feeling bad - got someone to come in. After being taken to hospital it was another day before I woke up. I was in intensive care for a week (with seriously high blood clot levels), and it was four months before I was back to full strength."

Lee Westwood, starting his defence of the European number one title he claimed from seven-time winner Colin Montgomerie last year, first completed his unfinisdhed first round with a 66, and then added a 70 to stand eight under.

Montgomerie and Darren Clarke were fighting to get back in the hunt. With nine to play Montgomerie was five under and Clarke four under, while the third member of the group - Dubliner Padraig Harrington - was eight under.

At halfway Cambridge's Russell Claydon was going well on seven under.

Sheffield's Mark Roe looked certain to survive the cut on his comeback from 21 months out with a hand injury.

He shot rounds of 71 and 69, and said "I can't believe it."