Hansen makes his move in sandy Oman

Joachim B. Hansen climbed into a share of the Oman Open lead at the halfway stage before a sandstorm suspended play for the day.

World number 154 Hansen made eight birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey over 16 holes on Friday to move alongside American Kurt Kitayama, who has five holes of his second round to complete, at the top of the standings on -6.

Play was forced to be suspended for the day after a sandstorm hit the Omani coast, with only 10 players able to complete their second rounds. German Maximilian Kieffer was one of those players and he shot a two-under-par 70 to move onto -5.

The 28-year-old is sitting in a three-way share of third with Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Japanese Yusaku Miyazato, with the duo failing to tee off on Friday before the sandstorm arrived.

Belgian Thomas Pieters is also yet to start his second round and he heads a group of 10 players sharing sixth position on -4, currently two strokes off the leading duo.

Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, who was three-under-par for the day before play was halted, is in a seven-way share of seventh on -3, alongside the likes of Jorge Campillo and Benjamin Hebert.