Rankings battle intensifies as challengers track leader Uihlein

Peter Uihlein might have a grip on The International Series Rankings title race at the halfway stage of the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, but his main rivals are still in the hunt with just two rounds of the season left to make their move.

The RangeGoats GC star shares the lead on -11 after an eventful six-under second round which included eight birdies and two bogeys to close in on top spot at Riyadh Golf Club and deny his challengers the chance to join him on the LIV Golf League next season.

Nearest rankings challenger John Catlin is still in the chase, after bouncing back from a shaky start that put him in danger of missing the cut.

Starting on three under, he bogeyed on two and six to slip under the projected cut line, but the International Series Macau presented by Wynn champion steadied the ship with a birdie on nine. Four more birdies on the back nine, and just the one dropped shot, ensured he is still in the hunt this weekend, at five under, six off the lead.

Reflecting on his dropped shots, the American said: "Just a couple missed short putts. That can happen. I was able to right the ship and got the fundamentals a little bit more back in place. The one (bogey) on 14 just hit something.

"I mean, that can happen as well but I feel like I played very solid on the back nine and I’ll take that going into the weekend. It helps the mind so much when you actually start seeing putts go in. So yeah, it was nice to make some putts and just keep it going.”

Catlin played down any notion he was drawn into a match play situation with compatriot Uihlein, or Ben Campbell who sits third, after the trio were drawn together for the first two rounds.

"No, it's early on in the week," he said. "You're just trying to play solid and make sure you're in a decent spot going into the weekend. We've still got 36 more holes. So anything can happen."

Campbell finished on six-under after a bogey on the last, leaving him five shots off the lead. He admits he will now need two strong rounds at Riyadh Golf Club to make a significant impact on The International Series Rankings race.

Campbell, the International Series Morocco champion, said: "Played OK today, had my chances but unfortunately had that soft bogey there on the last. Felt my game was close, yesterday too, and I probably haven't quite put a score on the board.

“But I'm into the weekend and hopefully I can look forward to a couple of low ones. I have a few things to tidy but and have to work on my putter a bit but my swing is close, I just need to do a few drills to get ready for tomorrow.”

On his strategy for coming out on top in a bid to claim the 1000 points that would seal a place on LIV Golf next year, the New Zealander said: "You have to play your own game. I definitely need a couple of low ones to catch Peter. I know I have to finish higher so hopefully the game is there this weekend to do that."

M.J. Maguire matched the course record set earlier in the day by Tyrrell Hatton and Logan McAllister with an eight-under-par 63, a sharp turnaround from his opening round of one-over-par 72.

The American, who won the Black Mountain Championship in Thailand last month, sits inside the top 20 heading into tomorrow's third round. The 32-year-old is delighted about his dual opportunities to secure a spot in the LIV Golf League through The International Series Rankings or the upcoming LIV Golf Promotions event also held at Riyadh Golf Club.

He said: “Obviously Pete (Peter Uihlein) is playing well again this week. He's going to be tough to catch. Have a good weekend, you never know. Just got to kind of play one shot at a time, play my own game, and see what happens.

“It's nice that we're playing this course again next week. This is kind of like a little practice for next week (LIV Golf Promotions). Kind of took a little bit of pressure off today. It was like, okay, you don't play well today, you've still got a chance tomorrow or next week.

“It really does help that we have the Promotions event if you don't win The International Series Rankings.”