Just four South Africans of the 12-man contingent in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the European Tour made the cut after second round play was completed on Saturday, with Justin Harding recording the best round of those.

He carded a three-under-par 69 to move to two-under-par and inside the cut which ended up being made at one-under-par. The other three players from South Africa who will play on the weekend were George Coetzee and Christiaan Bezuidenhout on three-under at the halfway stage, and Richard Sterne who made the cut on the number.

The tournament is being led by Tyrell Hatton of England on 11-under after his second round of four-under 68 took him clear of Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who carded a second successive 67. First-round leader Rory McIlroy overcame three bogeys and a double to sign for a level-par 72 to remain at eight-under for the tournament, three off the pace.

Notables who missed the cut together with Thomas Aiken, Garrick Higgo, Justin Walters, Dean Burmester, Brandon Stone, Zander Lombard, Haydn Porteous and Wilco Nienaber were Justin Thomas of the US, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Open champion Shane Lowry.