The Spaniard, who was four off the lead after round one, was flawless as he shot an Earth Course record 64 at Jumeirah Golf Course, putting him four clear of Sweden’s Peter Hanson with a 12-under total.

Quiros made the turn in 33 thanks to birdies at the par-five second, par-three fourth and par-four eighth, and he caught fire on the back nine. Birdies at the par-four 11th, par-five 14th and par-four 16th had improved his total to 10-under through 35 holes, and he saved the best for last. Having bogeyed the 18th on Thursday, Quiros issued the perfect response 24 hours later by carding his first eagle of the competition to complete an eight-under-par round.

Hanson kept himself in the reckoning, on eight-under, by shooting a par-round that consisted of four birdies and four bogeys, with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy a shot back on seven-under alongside Robert Rock of England.

McIlroy is aiming to snatch the Race to Dubai title from under the nose of world number one Luke Donald, and he put himself in a strong position with a 66 on Thursday.  The US Open winner must win the tournament and hope Donald finishes 10th or lower, but he could not replicate his back-nine fireworks from 24 hours earlier. Things looked promising thanks to three birdies over his first 11 holes on Friday, but a bogey at the par-four 12th was a sign of things to come and, after a birdie at the par-five 14th, he bogeyed the final two holes to sign for 71 and lose ground on the leader.

There was some good news for McIlroy though, as Donald sits tied for 12th after two days. The Englishman shot a four-under-par 68 on Friday to take his total to four-under through 36 holes.