ABU DHABI ALDAR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

November 6, 2026

Francesco Laporta

Yas Links

Quick Quotes

Q. A second round 70. Describe your day out there for us, please.

FRANCESCO LAPORTA: End of the day, it was a good day. Didn't start very well, I was 1-over after 6. Then I made three birdies in a row, a few mistakes on the back nine, but few really in the last four.

I'm quite happy about how I finished, but still a lot of golf.

Q. Difficult start as you say, but you went on a great run around the turn with three in a row. What changed?

FRANCESCO LAPORTA: I just hit the ball closer. I had a few great shots on 7, 8 and 9. It does help when you put the ball very close to the hole. It helps to make birdies.

Q. Did you have some help from your caddie there, or was it just a mentality shift?

FRANCESCO LAPORTA: I think it was a mentality shift. I start pretty bad in the first few holes, missing three putts for birdies, and then I made those for the next, like, three holes. But I tried my best.

Yeah, after 7, I was probably more comfortable on the course. I had more feeling on the putting, and yeah, that helps.

Q. How important was it to bounce back quickly from that double bogey with a sensational birdie on the 14th?

FRANCESCO LAPORTA: Very good. I mean, it was a very long putt, it was like 11-metres putt. Quite unlucky on the previous hole because I hit the path with the tee shot, and it went straight in the bush. I made a mistake from -- by the green. But yeah, I mean, that's golf. Things like that happen. It's good to have a birdie just on the next hole.

Q. Lovely way to finish on the 18th too. How much confidence can you take from the first two rounds going into the weekend?

FRANCESCO LAPORTA: I have a goal this week. My goal is just to play next week in Dubai. So obviously right now where I am, I'm probably trying to aim for something more. But yeah, that's -- as soon as I get my first goal, so I'll get to Dubai, and then I will be happy, and then we can focus on the next ones.

Q. How much did you enjoy playing with Jon today as well?

FRANCESCO LAPORTA: Great. He's such a good guy, such a good player, such a legend for us. As I said before, he's a Ryder Cup winner, he's a two majors winner. He's a great guy, a great player. So it was a pleasure for me.