LITTLE-KNOWN Australian Rick Kulacz blazed 11 birdies in a nine-under-par 63 second round to snatch a one-shot halfway lead at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

The 24-year-old Perth native secured limited playing rights on the European Tour with a final round 64 at the qualifying school – round he rates as his best given what was at stake – but was handed a spot this week via a sponsor’s invite.

The two-time winner on the Asian Tour took full advantage to charge up the leaderboard to 12-under-par and clear of Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry and Peter Hanson.

Graeme Storm’s hopes of starting the new season well have disappeared after posting a 74.

The Hartlepool golfer carded three bogeys in his final five holes to miss the cut with a two round total of one over.

Ashington’s Kenneth Ferrie also missed the cut, despite being two shots better off than Storm.

While Kulacz’s 63 – a figure Paul Casey also posted en route to winning last year – is an achievement in itself, it is make more remarkable given the fact he was so unhappy with his pre-tournament practice he needed a phone call to his coach back home on Wednesday to iron out the flaws in his game.

‘‘I was just in the zone. I tried to get it on the green and every putt went in. It was just one of those days where everything went right,’’ said Kulacz, who dropped just one shot in his first round 69.

‘‘That round is definitely in the top five in my career. I think the one at Q-School was better under the circumstances; to get to Europe was pretty special.’’ Kulacz shot a final round 65 to come back from four behind to win the New South Wales Open as an amateur in 2006, while he achieved a first win as a professional courtesy of a chip in on the first play-off hole at the 2008 Brunei Open.

‘‘I will have to see if I can deal with the pressure. It’s a totally different story than QSchool,’’ added Kulacz. ‘‘The players are the best in the world excluding the USA and they are way too good to go backwards.’’ Irish Open champion Lowry carded a bogey-free sevenunder- par 65, world number 13 Garcia dropped just one shot in a 67, while Sweden’s Hanson went one better with a flawless five-under-par.

Former champion and last year’s runner-up Martin Kaymer (67), Chris Wood, who carded a bogey-free 64, and Rhys Davies (68) are just a further shot off the pace with Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter in a group at nine-under-par.

Defending champion Casey beat the cut with a second round 69 to advance to the weekend.