Sore shoulder can't stop Garcia

Sergio Garcia refused to let a sore shoulder put him out of the Dubai Desert Classic on Friday and made a superb charge through the field.

The Spanish star, joint runner-up in Qatar last week, eagled the long 18th to complete a back-nine 32 that left him only one behind South African Richard Sterne and Scot Chris Doak.

Garcia had said after his opening 68: "If it does not get better than it is right now I don't know whether I will play tomorrow or not."

He had treatment following the round and again on the course this morning, but improving from four under par to nine under was probably the best tonic of all.

After an opening birdie on the 10th was cancelled out by a bogey two holes later he picked up more shots on the 13th, 16th and 17th and then fired in a six-iron to nine feet to set up the eagle.

Sterne, one shot outside Ernie Els' course record with his opening 62, was among the later starters expected to have windier conditions to deal with.

Challenge Tour graduate Doak joined him on 10 under with birdies on the 13th, first and third and had yet to drop a shot in the final leg of the European Tour's Desert Swing.

Alongside Garcia in third spot were Indian Jeev Milkha Singh, Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and up-and-coming Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, joint second in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago.

Paul Casey and Lee Westwood, six under and five under overnight, were others not teeing off until the afternoon.

Garcia's treatment on his shoulder and down his left arm continued as he began the front nine.

He was bunkered in two on the first and failed to get up and down, but drove to the fringe of the green at the 351-yard next and two-putted to return to nine under.

Doak remained 10 under with two to play and was alongside not only Sterne, but also Olesen, another to birdie the second.