DUBAI: Ross Fisher led an English run up a star-studded leaderboard Friday at the Dubai World Championship, matching a course record 8-under 64 to reach tie Ian Poulter at 9 under for the second-round lead. England's Lee Westwood tightened his grip on the No. 1-ranking by moving into third with a 5-under 69 at the European Tour's season-ending, $7.5 million tournament in Dubai. He stood at 8 under, one shot ahead of European money leader and third-ranked Martin Kaymer, who could only overtake Westwood with a top-two finish and the Englishman falling out of the top 27. Kaymer, though, has all but ended the battle for the Order of Merit after he finished eight shots ahead of his only challenger, Graeme McDowell, who had another frustrating day to finish with a 1-over 73 and is tied for 42nd at 1 over for the tournament. Fisher, who was tied for seventh after the first round, surged into the lead with eight birdies on his way to his stellar 64, including a string of three in a row on the back nine and one on the 18th to close out the round. Poulter, who is coming off victory at last week's Hong Kong Open, said he felt that momentum carried into this week and showed up especially on the greens, where he made clutch birdie puts on the 15 and 17 - the last one putting him into a tie for the lead. Poulter and his playing partner Westwood were neck and neck for most of the day, until Westwood chunked a wedge on the edge of the green at the 14th that led to a bogey and then missed a birdie putt on the next hole. In the Race to Dubai, Kaymer can claim the money title and a $1.5 million bonus by finishing higher than McDowell. McDowell can overtake the German by winning the tournament or ending up alone in second as long as Kaymer finishes no higher than a tie for third. If McDowell is tied for second, Kaymer could afford to finish as low as sixth. The two-way race was expected to be tight between the big-hitting Kaymer and the more tactical McDowell. But Kaymer effectively ended the contest almost before it began Thursday, surging to a five-shot lead over McDowell after shooting a 5-under 67. The lead became eight shots Friday, after Kaymer shot a 2-under 70 for a share of fourth place - alongside Englishman Paul Casey and Thai golfer Thongchai Jaidee. McDowell, who started strong Friday with three birdies on his first seven holes, began to unravel on the eighth where he shot the first of four bogeys. McDowell refused to conceded the money title to Kaymer but said he would need a pair of 65s this weekend to have any chance of catching the German.
