Rory McIlroy frustrated by late lapse in bid to win sixth Race to Dubai title

A late lapse from Rory McIlroy gave a glimmer of hope to the chasing pack in the battle to be European No 1 this year as Paul Waring teed up an opportunity to transform his season in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this weekend.

McIlroy, who is chasing a sixth Harry Vardon Trophy triumph, which would move him level with Seve Ballesteros and just two behind Colin Montgomerie, was seven under for the day in the second round at Yas Links and 12 under total in the first of two new season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs in the Middle East.

Rory McIlroy reacts on the 18th green in the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. | Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Then, out of nowhere, he ran up a triple-bogey 6 at the 17th before repairing part of that damage with a closing birdie to sign for a second successive 67, which left him sitting nine shots behind halfway leader Waring in a tie for 14th after the Englishman catapulted himself into pole position with a course-record 61.

“Yeah, I played quite nice up to that point,” said McIlroy of picking up birdies at the second, sixth, seventh, ninth, tenth, 11th and 13th on another low-scoring day in the UAE, “and I feel like I hit a nice should into 17. 

“Nice flighted 5-iron, hit the downslope, trundled into the bunker, and then it wasn't a great leave in the first place but the club bounced on me. There  wasn't a lot of sand and I just sort of made a mess of it from there.

“But bounced back well, too. Good shots into the last, and made a birdie there. So just have to go out tomorrow and try to get off to a fast start and get myself back into it.”

McIlroy came into the penultimate event of the season holding a commanding lead in the Race to Dubai, with South African Thriston Lawrence still his closest challenger on the points list after 36 holes.

Lawrence, who finished fourth behind Xander Schauffele in The Open at Royal Troon in July, sits a shot ahead of McIlroy after coming home in 29 for his second-round 66, with third-placed Rasmus Hojgaard 13 shots off the lead after a disappointing 72.

Englishman Paul Waring on his way to a course-record 61 in the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. | Andrew Redington/Getty Images

“I'd like to see the course get a bit firmer,” said McIlroy of his hopes of landing this title for a first time. “There were a couple greens today that got a bit shinier and a little trickier. Yeah, I need the golf course to firm up a little bit and toughen up a little bit to have a chance.

“It will be up to me. I shot 63 on the Saturday in Dubai this year (when winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for a record fourth time), and I'm going to need something similar if not lower, seeing what the scores are like to give myself a chance going into Sunday. But I know it's out there. I was seven-under through 13 holes today. So it is possible.”

Waring came into this week sitting 48th on the points list, meaning he needed a good performance to ensure he is in the 50-strong field for next week’s season finale, the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

On the back of his sparkling work so far, the 39-year-old is up to seventh in the projected standings and, holding a five-shot lead, now has his sights set on some mouth-watering rewards.

Calum Hill jumped from last at the start of the day to joint-60th on the back of a 64 | Rixhard Heathcote/Getty Images

“I do want to play next week, but there are bigger things in my career that I want to go and do,” he said. “Top 25 spots (in the Race to Dubai) get an Open spot next year, that's something I want to try and achieve and also get somewhere near a PGA Tour card (with ten on offer from the points list).”

After adding a 68 to his opening 65, sits joint-tenth on 11 under, two shots ahead of Ewen Ferguson (67). Bouncing back from an opening 78 with a gutsy 64, Calum Hill is alongside Connor Syme (71) on two under, with Grant Forrest at the foot of the field on two over after a second 73.