DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The trail is evident for Rory McIlroy to clinch the year-long Race to Dubai title and be topped the European tour’s finest participant for a sixth time.
He’s effectively in competition to win the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, too.
McIlroy hit a fairway wooden from 265 yards to fifteen toes at No. 18 and two-putted for a closing birdie in his second spherical on Friday, a 3-under 69 leaving the No. 3-ranked Northern Irishman one stroke off the lead held by France’s Antoine Rozner (65) on 9 underneath par.
McIlroy was tied with Tyrrell Hatton (69) for second place within the event however his lead within the year-long Race to Dubai standings was wanting impregnable.
Thriston Lawrence is the one participant who can cease McIlroy profitable that title — and to try this the South African wants a victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates. That appeared unlikely, with a 71 leaving Lawrence at degree par and 9 photographs off the lead on the midway stage.
“At this level, I’m simply attempting to win the golf event,” McIlroy stated, “and if I win the golf event, then every thing else that occurs alongside that’s good.”
McIlroy, a former Dubai resident and a three-time winner on the Earth Course, shared the lead with Hatton in a single day and raced two strokes clear after making 4 birdies in his opening seven holes, together with a 25-foot putt at No. 3. He light after that, lacking the green on every of his subsequent three holes and making two bogeys.
The one birdie in McIlroy’s ultimate 11 holes got here on the final and it was arrange by an impressive method over water which may have been the shot of the day.
“Just a little dissatisfied that I didn’t kick on after such an amazing begin,” McIlroy stated, earlier than including: “Good solution to end and a very good place going into the weekend proper there.”
Six Race to Dubai titles would put McIlroy degree with the late Seve Ballesteros and two behind Colin Montgomerie’s document haul.
Rozner, ranked No. 154, was the shock chief after making six birdies in an eight-hole span from No. 9.
He’s certainly one of many gamers within the 50-man subject searching for a excessive end to safe one of many 10 PGA Tour playing cards on provide for subsequent season. Successful the event will assure that bonus prize, so it’s probably a life-changing weekend for gamers like Rozner.
“I want a extremely good weekend for that,” stated Rozner, who received the final of his three European tour titles in Mauritius in December 2022. “I’m going to attempt to deal with having two strong days. See the way it goes on the finish.
“I feel if I can have an opportunity on Sunday to both win it or get a type of playing cards, it will be nice.”
Joaquin Niemann shot 67 and was alone in fourth place, two photographs off the lead. There was a four-way tie an extra stroke again between Rasmus Hojgaard (67), Jesper Svensson (67), Shane Lowry (67) and Keita Nakajima (69).
