Craig Lee said he had Santa Claus to thank for the gift of a new putting stroke sharing the lead heading into the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Lee, 36 has averaged just 27 putts over the two round as he seeks to break through for a first-ever Tour success.

The Bridge of Allan golfer posted a second round 67 to share the lead on nine under par with Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello (68).

England’s Danny Willett had gone within a shot of the National course record in posting a 63 to be third at eight-under par and with three players – Rory McIlroy (67), Thomas Bjorn (67) and Ricardo Gonzalez (66) – sharing fourth place on seven under par. 

Craig Lee has Santa Claus and Callaway to thank for enjoying a share of the lead in Abu Dhabi. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

While McIlroy was again praising his driver Lee was drawing on a new-found confidence using the shortest club in his bag.

“Santa brought me a good putting stroke for Christmas,” said the Scot.

Aside from changing his wedges regularly as Tour players do, since his play-off loss in Switzerland all Lee has changed in his bag is put in the new Callaway Big Bertha driver and also change to the Odyssey Versa No. 7 putter.

“I am just hitting a lot more putts with this new No. 7 putter the way I want to, and once you do that you can figure out how to read the greens a bit easier,” he added.

“Callaway have sanded down the edges, so they’ve made it a little bit sharper, and it’s a little bit clearer to the eye.

“So I am really happy with the way I am putting.”

And despite some ‘weird’ looks from his neighbours helping Lee with his putting is the efforts of his younger brother, Stephen late last year installing a 20 foot x 14 foot Astro turf putting green in the front garden on Lee’s home.

“The neighbours have fun peering over the fence looking at us strangely but it’s definitely helped and besides you can put on as many Kagool’s as you want,” he smiled.

“But the putting green has helped a lot and that’s been a big difference.”

Colin Montgomerie (68) along with playing partner and fellow victorious Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal (71) each made the cut with respective three under and level par tallies.

However Monty believed Olazabal’s great late friend, Seve Ballesteros must have been looking over the Spaniard’s shoulder.

Monty said:  “Olazabal out there was amazing and he should never have made the cut!

“It’s unbelievable.  He hit the pin at the sixth out of a bunker to make par, he almost holed it at the seventh for a par, 240 yards to go for his third shot at eight and made par, and then he hit it in the water at the ninth, which isn’t in play.

“I mean he was 50 yards right, then chips in for par.  Seve would be proud of him. I was proud of him watching him.  He’s unbelievable.

“However after four tough days in Durban, and now two days on a tough golf course here in Abu Dhabi I’m tired.  Geez, it’s tough this, very tough.

“So it’s a struggle but I’m doing everything to score 68 and we’re getting there.

“I was on the practice range at half six this morning for an 8.10 tee time, so I worked it out this morning, and it was better today.”

Bathgate’s Stephen Gallacher (73) for a 143 total and Fifer Peter Whiteford (70) at 144 made the cut.

However Paul Lawrie was planning a weekend round of golf with his caddy, Dave Kenny at nearby Saadiyat Beach after crashing out of his first New Year event with scores of 80 and 73 for a 153 tally.

His dismal opening day effort was Lawrie’s highest score since an 81 in the first round of last year’s Open Championship at Muirfield.

“That was not in the script and I didn’t see that coming especially on day one,” said Lawrie.

“I just really struggled and drove the ball awful, and you just can’t do that with the way they have the course set-up. 

“I hit only four fairways, nine greens and had 33 putts on day one but today I actually played quite nicely hitting some good shots.

“The thing is you are never sure what is going to happen in your first round of the season, and no matter how good you are playing, anything can happen.

“I didn’t tee up on Thursday thinking I was going to rip it and hole every putt and then shoot 80.  Hell, it’s one of the worst scores I’ve ever shot ever.

“Normally, I come out and compete early in a new season but then it might not be a bad thing and like a wake-up to dust yourself down and just get on with it.”