World number one Rory McIlroy recorded his first professional hole-in-one and is only two shots off the lead after day two of the Abu Dhabi Championship.
The 25-year-old’s towering nine-iron at the 177-yard 15th pitched a foot from the flag before trickling in, and he birdied the last to finish on 11 under.
According to bbcsports, leader Martin Kaymer did not drop a shot in adding a 67 to his opening 64.
It was the third ace of the week after Tom Lewis at the seventh and Miguel Angel Jimenez at the 15th.
Big-hitting Belgian Thomas Pieters, the 6ft 5in 22-year-old who was runner-up to Jimenez after a play-off at last year’s Spanish Open, also reached 13 under before dropping a shot at the ninth, his final hole.
McIlroy’s playing partner Rickie Fowler, who was level with the Northern Irishman three shots back after day one, carded a triple-bogey eight at the eighth in a 75 and dropped to two under, making the cut by just a single stroke.
Commenting on his hole-in-one, McIlroy said: “It was a perfect number, straight downwind 177 yards, and it took a nice little hop to the right, so obviously the beers are on me tonight.
“It wasn’t one of my goals for the year but it’s a nice little bonus.”