Casey & Dredge leading in Qatar

A resurgent Paul Casey joined Bradley Dredge at the top of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters leaderboard as the Englishman took full advantage of ideal scoring conditions in Doha today.

Casey is improving with every round after a rib injury ruined last season and played the opening 13 holes of his third circuit of Doha Golf Club in a sparkling bogey-free six-under-par to join Dredge out in front at 10 under par.

Dredge battled to the turn in two under par despite a disastrous double bogey six to join Casey in a one-shot advantage over second round leader Brett Rumford.

Dredge had briefly claimed the outright lead early at the start of the round with back-to-back birdies but slipped back into the pack after being forced to chip out sideways on to the fifth fairway before two putting after overshooting the green.

Rumford struggled to repeat yesterday's sparkling 66 and reached the turn in level par with Robert Karlsson and European number one Lee Westwood two shots ahead at eight-under-par.

Westwood also reached the turn at level par after finding water and double bogeying the par three eighth, although he then recovered with birdies at the ninth and 10th.

Graeme McDowell is the best placed Irishman in Qatar on four under, while Shane Lowry and Peter Lawrie are a shot further behind. Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin are both on one over.

Former champion Retief Goosen posted the clubhouse lead after the 2007 winner dropped just one shot in a 66 to improve to six under par overall.

'It was a great round,' said Goosen.

'I struggled a bit for the first two rounds, but today I was a little more comfortable and hit it nicely and made a few putts. I hit it close to the flags and if you do that you have a chance for a birdie.

'You shouldn't complain really with a 66, but it comes at a time you know you had a chance for a really low round and I messed it up a little on the par fives and missed a couple of birdie putts that I should have made.

'But overall, I am very happy, but it means I am going to have to shoot something under 65 tomorrow to have a chance to win.'