Rory McIlroy moved into position to complete a Dubai double after sharing the halfway lead at the DP World Tour Championship while gaining significant ground in the Race to Dubai.
The Northern Irishman carded a two-under 70 to join Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton at five-under 139 on a demanding day at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
McIlroy reached four-under for his round with birdies at the second, third, eighth and 10th before the increasingly strong wind complicated his closing stretch. Bogeys on the 12th, 16th and 17th erased much of that progress, but a birdie at the par-five last restored his share of the lead.
With standings leader Eugenio Chacarra tied 11th at one-under, McIlroy is provisionally projected to claim his fifth consecutive Race to Dubai crown and eighth overall, which would match Colin Montgomerie’s record.
A fourth victory at the Earth Course would also settle the season-long contest regardless of results elsewhere. McIlroy has previously won the season finale three times and lost to Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff last year.
Hatton reached five-under with a second-round 69. The Englishman opened with consecutive birdies and added another at the ninth before navigating the tougher back nine in level par.
First-round leader Joost Luiten and Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan share third place at four-under, one stroke ahead of Mikael Lindberg, Freddy Schott and Victor Perez.
Three-time champion Jon Rahm remains within four shots of the lead alongside David Puig and Jayden Schaper.
Chacarra added a 71 to his opening 72. Although currently projected to slip behind McIlroy in the rankings, the Spaniard remains only four strokes from the tournament lead with 36 holes remaining.
Photo – DPWT
