Nicolai Hojgaard moved into position to win the season-ending World Tour Championship for a second time by taking a three-stroke lead on Friday, though a slew of Europe’s Ryder Cup stars were well placed to pounce.
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DUBAI,UnitedArabEmirates—NicolaiHojgaardmovedintopositiontowintheseason-endingWorldTourChampionshipforasecondtimebytakingathree-strokeleadonFriday,thoughaslewofEurope’sRyderCupstarswerewellplacedtopounce.
ThechasingpackincludedRoryMcIlroy,whosebrilliantshortgamesalvageda69inthesecondroundthatkepthimontracktocaptureafourthstraightyear-longRacetoDubaititleforbeingEurope’sNo.1player.
McIlroywastiedforsecondplaceinafive-mangroupthatincludedJustinRose(67)andShaneLowry(67).FellowRyderCuppersRobertMacIntrye(67)andTommyFleetwood(71)wereafurtherstrokebackandTyrrellHatton(67)onemoreshotadrift.
Theywerealllookingupatthe70th-rankedHojgaard,whodidn’tmaketheRyderCupteamthistime—thathonorfelltohistwinbrother,Rasmus—butisshowingareminderofhisabilityattheEarthCoursethisweek.
The24-year-oldDaneshot65,thelow
