The path is clear for Rory McIlroy to clinch the year-long Race to Dubai title and be crowned the European tour’s best player for a sixth time.
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DUBAI,UnitedArabEmirates—ThepathisclearforRoryMcIlroytoclinchtheyear-longRacetoDubaititleandbecrownedtheDPWorldTour’sbestplayerforasixthtime.
He’swellincontentiontowintheseason-endingDPWorldTourChampionship,too.
McIlroyhitafairwaywoodfrom265yardsto15feetatNo.18andtwo-puttedforaclosingbirdieinhissecondroundonFriday,a3-under69leavingtheNo.3-rankedNorthernIrishmanonestrokeofftheleadheldbyFrance’sAntoineRozner(65)on9underpar.
McIlroywastiedwithTyrrellHatton(69)forsecondplaceinthetournamentbuthisleadintheyear-longRacetoDubaistandingslooksimpregnable.
ThristonLawrenceistheonlyplayerwhocanstopMcIlroyfromwinningthattitle—andtodothatheneedsavictoryatJumeirahGolfEstates.Thatappearedunlikely,witha71leavingLawrenceatlevelparfortheweekandnineofftheleadatthehalfwaystage.
Rozner,rankedNo.154,wasthesurpriseleaderaftermakingsixbirdiesinaneight-holespanfromNo.9.
Heisone
