DP World Tour Championship second round leaderboard, Digi Mart USA News: Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton are tied for the lead at the halfway point of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, according to a BBC Sport report. McIlroy followed an opening 69 with a 70, while Hatton shot 69 after an opening round of his own.
Overnight leader Joost Luiten carded a 73 and sits one shot back alongside Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan. McIlroy is four shots ahead of Race to Dubai leader Eugenio Chacarra, who birdied his final two holes to finish one under par.
McIlroy is guaranteed to equal Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight season-long Race to Dubai titles with a win this week. He is chasing a fourth DP World Tour Championship victory and a fifth successive Race to Dubai triumph.
Hatton, who cannot win the Race to Dubai, is seeking his ninth DP World Tour victory and his first since leaving LIV Golf.
McIlroy described the scoring as eye-opening and said the course set-up has produced higher scores than in previous years, with anything in the 60s considered a good score this week. Hatton said the windy conditions on the back nine made club selection difficult.
South Africa’s Jayden Schaper and Spain’s Jon Rahm are at two under. Patrick Reed, who could have become the second American to win the Harry Vardon Trophy, shot 77 after an opening 75 and is well off the pace.
McIlroy and Hatton will play together in the final pairing on Saturday’s third round, with the final round to be broadcast live on the BBC Sport website and app on Sunday.
