Sweden's Henrik Stenson grabbed the clubhouse lead at the Dubai Desert Classic on Friday but another lengthy fog delay meant that more than half the players failed to finish their second rounds. The tournament was already badly behind schedule after two hours and 40 minutes were lost at the start of Thursday's opening round. That left nearly half the 126-strong field unable to finish and they were supposed to conclude their opening salvoes early on Friday. But with dense fog again shrouding the Emirates Golf Club another three hour 20 minutes delay sent organizers scurrying to re-schedule the tee-times yet again. World No. 7 Stenson completed a four-under 68 once the sun had burned off the early fog and then produced a fine bogey-free seven-under 65 to take the clubhouse lead at 11-under par 133. His birdie at the ninth, his last hole, edged him ahead of Australian leftie Richard Green. The 1997 champion Green had a bogey-free 63 to stand one stroke adrift of the Swedish Ryder Cup star at the halfway stage. World No. 2 Sergio Garcia also moved ominously into contention with a 70 followed by a 66 which left him three shots off the pace as he seeks his first win in the Gulf region. India's Jeev Milkha Singh was one shot back after a fine second round of 68. First round show stealer with a 64, 19-year-old Irishman Rory McIlroy, was all but given the day off being unable to tee-off until late in the afternoon. He completed just three holes before darkness fell and after a bogey at the first he was at seven-under par for the tournament. It was a bad day though for Ernie Els. After completing a 71 in the morning, he covered his second round front nine in one under par. But he struggled on the back nine with three bogeys and at level-par for the tournament will have to wait to see if he makes the cut. Nitties grabs share of lead In Arizona, Australian James Nitties fired a six-under 65 Thursday to claim a share of the lead alongside Lucas Glover in the first round of the six million-dollar FBR Open. Play was halted by darkness with nine players still to complete their rounds. Nitties, who missed the cut in his first two starts this year, reeled off four birdies in a row from the third. After his only bogey of the day, he bounced back with a birdie at eight then closed out his round with birdies at 17 and 18. Glover, who started his round at the 10th, notched seven birdies and a bogey. After birdies at 13, 15 and 16, he suffered his only bogey of the day at the par-four 17th. He responded with a birdie at 18, then added three more birdies coming home. American star Phil Mickelson's 2009 debut got off to a shaky start. Mickelson opened with a five-over 76 to lie tied for 21st. David Berganio and Charley Hoffman shared third on 66, with Briny Baird, Kevin Na and Matt Kuchar a further shot back.
