European Tour: DP World Tour Championship full leaderboard Leaderboard
John Catlin, Sam Horsfield and Shane Lowry will share the lead heading into the weekend at the season ending 2021 DP World Tour Championship, Dubai after a dramatic second round at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Rory McIlroy started the day with a two shot lead but was reined in over the Earth Course as Irishman Lowry and American Catlin carded rounds of 65 and England's Horsfield signed for a 66 to leapfrog him at -10
The Northern Irishman double bogeyed the last after finding the water to record a 70 -9 and sit a shot off the lead alongside Swede Alexander Björk, who carded a 67.
Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex leader Collin Morikawa was on course to become the first American to lift the Harry Vardon Trophy at eight under, where he had fellow two time Major Champion Martin Kaymer for company.
Lowry is looking for a second Rolex Series triumph in the UAE after his win at the 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA and was bogey free over a course where he finished second in 2017 and has two further top tens.
"It's two more days left and then the end of a long year-and-a-half, I suppose, long couple of years," said Lowry, who had to wait an extra 12 months to defend his 2019 Open Championship title due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"I'm looking forward to giving everything and leaving it on the course this weekend and hopefully I'm there near the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.
"I feel like my game is in good shape and I feel like I know my way around this place and I know how to play here. I'm happy to be top of the leaderboard, late tee time tomorrow and I'm looking forward to the weekend."
Catlin has won three European Tour events in the last 15 months but believes a Rolex Series victory at the season finale would be "truly special".
"It's definitely nice to be able to look yourself in the mirror and say: I've been here before and I can do it again," he said. "That kind of kept me steady here on the back nine.
"We've got two more rounds to go and hopefully I can stay confident and keep hitting good golf shots."
Horsfield is also looking for a first Rolex Series victory to add to his two European Tour wins and is feeling comfortable in his third appearance in this event.
"I definitely don't feel like I'm out of place or do not belong here and obviously I feel like my game is really good," he said. "Looking forward to the weekend.
McIlroy was briefly caught in the morning but picked up where he had left off once his round got under way, playing a wonderful flop shot to set up a birdie on the par five second and holing from nine feet at the third to lead by two.
McIlroy three putted the tenth but hit back with a chip-in at the 11th and found himself in a four way tie as Catlin made a big move.
His day ended with a big drive that caught the fairway bunker close to the steep lip, forcing his lay up. He said " My third was a good golf shot out of a thatchy lie that looked good in the air, it just came up a couple of feet short and ended up in the hazard." After a ruling and a drop he hit a poor chip and missed the 10 footer for a double bogey 7
Morikawa carded a second consecutive 68 to sit at least three shots ahead of all his challengers to be European Number One, while German 2010 Race to Dubai Champion Kaymer also carded a 68.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia, Dane Joachim B. Hansen and Scot Robert MacIntyre completed the top ten at seven under.
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