McIlroy moves closer to clinching Race to Dubai title

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McIlroy moves closer to clinching Race to Dubai title

The path is clear for Rory McIlroy to clinch the year-long Race to Dubai title and be crowned the ********* tour’s best player for a sixth time.

The Northern Irishman is also well in contention to win the season-ending World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

McIlroy hit a fairway wood from 265 yards to 15 feet at No.18 and two-putted for a closing birdie in his second round on Friday, giving him a three-under 69 that left him one ******* off the lead held by France’s Antoine Rozner (65) on nine-under par.

McIlroy was tied with England’s Tyrrell Hatton (69) for second place in the tournament but his lead in the year-long Race to Dubai standings now looks impregnable.

Thriston Lawrence is the only player who can stop McIlroy winning that title — and to do that he needs a victory. That appeared unlikely, with a 71 leaving Lawrence at level par for the week and nine off the lead at halfway.

“At this point, I’m just trying to win the golf tournament,” McIlroy said, “and if I win the golf tournament, then everything else that happens alongside that is nice.”

Rozner, ranked No. 154, was the surprise leader after making six birdies in an eight-***** span from the ninth.

The Frenchman is one of many players in the 50-man field seeking a high finish to secure one of the 10 PGA Tour cards on offer for next season.

Winning the tournament will guarantee that bonus prize, so it’s potentially a life-changing weekend for players like Rozner.

“I need a really good weekend for that,” said Rozner, who won the last of his three ********* tour titles in Mauritius in December 2022.

“I’m going to try to focus on having two solid days. See how it goes at the end.

“I think if I can have a chance on Sunday to either win it or get one of those cards, it would be great.”

Adam Scott, the leading *********** challenger is tied for 12th, five shots off the pace at four under after a second-round 71.

Min Woo Lee is a couple of shots further back at two under after a bogey six at the last left him ********* a level-par 72.

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