Ross Fisher was five shots clear of defending champion and World No. 1 Tiger Woods at the midway stage of the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament.

Come Sunday and there is a possibility that 26-year-old Fisher, who used to pick golf balls for Woods at practice ranges in 1998, may play in the same group as the ace golfer.

Fisher, whose best on the European Tour is a tied-fourth place in the 2005 Volvo China Open, is now sitting at 14-under after two rounds of 65 each, with just two bogeys in 36 holes, both coming at the sixth hole on both days.

When play stopped on Friday for an hour and quarter due to rain and lightning, he was four shots ahead of Graeme Mcdowell (69) and Peter Hanson (65) at 10-under for 36 holes.

Ernie Els was also 10-under but he had eight more holes to play.

India's Jyoti Randhawa was seven-under after six holes in second round. He was one-under for the day. Harmeet Kahlon fired a 73 and was two-under for 36 holes, while Jeev Milkha Singh was also two-under but had nine more holes to play. The cut looks likely at two-under.

About his possible face-off with Woods, Fisher said: "Obviously I'll have to cross that bridge if it happens. It would be an absolute thrill to play with the best player in the world. He has been the best player in the world for it seems like an eternity. What's it been, eight or nine years now almost."