Dubai: Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy shot a second day’s 68 to stand eight under par for the tournament and four strokes off event leader Andy Sullivan in a tie for fourth at the DP World Tour Championship on Friday.
The Northern Irishman carded two birdies and a bogey on his front nine and three birdies on his return to add to his first round’s 68 from Thursday.
All he has to do to claim his third successive European crown is finish ahead of a pack of six other contenders for the moneylist — including Danny Willett, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Byeong Hun An — who are currently all trailing him.
“I’m treating it like a normal event because I’m just here to win and I know that if I win, then everything else will take care of itself,” said McIlroy. “I’m just trying to focus on my own game and focus on myself and if I can do that, hopefully things will work out the right way.
“All facets of my game are pretty much there, it’s just a matter of being a little bit more efficient and taking advantage of the par fives a bit better,” he added.
Nearest Race to Dubai rival Willett is two strokes back at six under par tied for 13th having carded a second day’s 70 to add to an opening 68. The Englishman hit a combination of two birdies and one bogey on either nine to come in at two under for the day.
Third in the moneylist Rose, meanwhile, is a stroke behind McIlroy at seven under par tied for seventh after a second day’s 66 to add to his opening 71. The Englishman got two birdies and a bogey going out, but returned with six birdies and a bogey.
Fellow Race to Dubai contender Grace is level with Rose tied for seventh at seven under after carding 69 to add to his earlier 68. The South African cancelled out two birdies with two bogies on the front nine, but bounced back with a birdie and an eagle on the way in.
An Byeong-Hun is level with Willett in a tie for 13th at six under after hitting 68 to add to his opening 70. The South Korean carded three birdies on the front nine and returned with a bogey, two birdies, a double bogey and an eagle.
Oosthuizen is tied for 28th at three under par for the tournament after recovering from a first round’s 73 with a 68 on Friday. The South African got two birdies and a bogey going out and four birdies and a bogey coming in.
And Lowry is tied for 50th at one over par for the tournament after adding 70 to an opening 75. The Irishman hit two birdies and a bogey on his front nine and three birdies and two bogies on his return.
