Belgium’s Matthis Besard, Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen and Ireland’s Liam Nolan share the lead at the Abu Dhabi Challenge 2026 after 36 holes. The trio are all nine under par at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.
Besard started Thursday two shots back and carded a bogey-free 67. Pulkkanen made the biggest move, jumping 22 places with a six-under 64. Nolan climbed 12 spots after a 65.
France’s Maxence Giboudot and Sweden’s Adam Blomme are one shot behind on eight under.
Leaderboard after round two
| Pos | Player | Round 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Matthis Besard (BEL) | 67 | -9 |
| T1 | Tapio Pulkkanen (FIN) | 64 | -9 |
| T1 | Liam Nolan (IRL) | 65 | -9 |
| T4 | Maxence Giboudot (FRA) | 65 | -8 |
| T4 | Adam Blomme (SWE) | 66 | -8 |
Why this week matters
The stakes are high in Al Ain. This is the last HotelPlanner Tour event before back-to-back tournaments in China, and only the top 68 on the Road to Mallorca Rankings will play there.
After that, the top 45 qualify for the Grand Final in Mallorca, where DP World Tour cards are decided.
Analysis: three leaders, three different targets
What makes this weekend so compelling is that the three co-leaders are chasing very different goals.
Besard has the most to gain. He arrived 78th in the Rankings, outside the cut-off for China. A strong weekend would not just keep his season alive but could transform it.
Nolan sits 43rd, just inside the top 45 for Mallorca. His position is fragile, and a good finish here would give him valuable breathing room before the Asian swing.
Pulkkanen, meanwhile, is already safe for both China and Mallorca. His focus is on promotion. At 13th, he is on the edge of the places he is targeting, and a win could all but secure his return to the DP World Tour.
In other words, the pressure will feel different for each of them on Friday and Saturday. That could be decisive when the wind picks up.
Pulkkanen charges with a 64
Pulkkanen, 36, has won twice on the HotelPlanner Tour, most recently at the Danish Golf Challenge earlier this year.
He started on the 10th and birdied the par five into the wind. However, a three-putt bogey followed at the 11th. He then eagled the par-five 18th, hitting driver and eight iron to six feet. As the wind dropped, he played his second nine in 31, with birdies at the second, fourth, seventh and eighth.
“It was a strong wind in the start,” said Pulkkanen. “But I made a nice eagle on 18. And then I played really nicely on the back nine and made lots of birdies as the wind died down.”
He believes he left shots out there. “I hit some really nice iron shots,” he said. “I missed some opportunities, but also made a couple of nice putts in the end.”
“I’m kind of on the bubble right now,” he added. “The goal is to be in the top 15 at the end of the year, so it would be great to have a good weekend here.”
Besard stays bogey-free
Besard, 26, was the first player to reach nine under and has not dropped a shot all week.
He also began on the 10th in the toughest conditions and opened with eight straight pars. Birdies followed at the 18th, second and seventh. A fine sand save on his final hole kept his card clean.
“This morning it was quite windy, so to stay bogey-free is really pleasing,” said Besard. “My putting and driving has been really good.”
“I know what needs to happen this week,” he added. “I’m just telling myself to do my job and it’s gone well so far, but I’ve still got a lot of work to do.”
Nolan bounces back in style
Nolan’s round was the most eventful of the three. The Galway golfer is chasing his first HotelPlanner Tour title.
He birdied the fourth, sixth and seventh. Then a bogey at the ninth and a double bogey at the par-five 10th undid much of his good work. Nolan responded with five birdies over his final eight holes, at the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th.
He credited his caddie, Sean, for helping him reset. “I knew I was playing well, so I wasn’t too worried after the bogey and double,” said Nolan.
“It’s that time of year where every shot matters just a little bit more,” he added. “It’ll be a good test of where my game is at under pressure before I head to China.”
Weekend schedule
The third round takes place on Friday, with the final round on Saturday. Entry is free throughout the week.
The Abu Dhabi Challenge is co-organised and sanctioned by the Emirates Golf Federation, with support from Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
