Rory McIlroy shrugged off a bout of food poisoning to birdie his last hole in a round of 70 to retain his lead after two rounds of the Dubai Desert Classic.

McIlroy went into the second day struggling after ordering a fish takeaway the night before but it was an adventurous day with the former World No. 1 recording five birdies but also three bogeys to finish on 11-under par.

Rory McIlroy (NIR) tees off the 1st tee to start his match during Friday’s Round 2 of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2014 held at the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai. 31st January 2014.
Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

“We ordered some seafood takeaway last night (Thur) and it did not agree with me,” said McIlroy.

“I did not feel too well this morning, and I did not have much to eat.  But I don’t want to use it as an excuse.

“So it was nice to birdie the last and at least give myself a one shot lead going into tomorrow.

“I will just go back to tonight and sort of regroup and realize I am still leading the tournament.”

McIlroy began his round with a bogey but moved three strokes clear of the field with birdies at three, five and seven before a fourth birdie at the 10^th hole.

However the current World No. 6 was in trouble at the 13^thand 16^th holes where on both occasions his -drives found sandy waste before he ended by holing a five foot birdie putt on the last.

“I was more frustrated on the back nine as the back nine is where you want to build your score after playing the harder front nine in two under par,” he said.

“I’m leading the golf tournament. I’ve been in this position before and I’ve went on to win.  I’ve led from the front quite well in tournaments that I have won.  I feel like I am still playing well and I know the course just as well as anyone else.

“I’m now expecting to go out there and shoot two good scores over the weekend and hopefully lift the trophy.”

European Tour based American Brooks Koepka birdied his opening three holes in a seven under par 65 to move into second place on 10-under par.

The 23-year old West Palm Beach born Koepka won four times last year on the secondary Challenge Tour and is competing in the Middle East and the Tour’s three-event ‘Desert Swing’ for a first time in his career.

“Winning’s winning, I’ve been able to do it on the Challenge Tour, so hopefully I can get it done this week,” he said.

Three players – England’s Danny Willett (65), Ireland’s Damien McGrane (70) and Frenchman Julien Quesne (70) – share third place on eight under par.

Willett, 26 birdied five of his closing six holes including the last three to shoot a seven under par 65

Willett, along with his wife and caddy, undertook the assisted sky dive on Monday free-falling for the first 1,000 feet and in add of two charities.

Caroline Wozniacki’s shows off her engagement ring from fiancee Rory McIlroy (NIR) during Friday’s Round 2 of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. (
Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie)

“The skydive on Monday was obviously a different way to start the week,” he said.

“But in all fairness, if you stand on the first tee, trying to hit a drive into the fairway, seemed a little bit less nerve‑wracking than jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet, you never know, might have prepared us quite well.

“As soon as you jump out, you kind of go ‑‑ you’re looking down, all you can see is obviously the sea and surrounding area and you’re thinking, what are we doing.  Then after the initial jump, you start to kind of level out and feels like you’re floating down, it’s unbelievable.

“We did it for charity, British Heart Foundation and the breast cancer charity Darren Clarke does.”

Tiger Woods quickly put aside a frustrating one over par 73 that saw him drop to a share of 44^th place at three under par in joining fellow Masters champion Mark O’Meara (NOT FRED COUPLES) hosting a junior golf clinic on the Emirates Club practice range.

And one of Woods’ first remarks to the crowd was:  “I was on some many parts of the golf course today that I got to meet so many people, signed so many autographs out there, and gave a lot of balls away.

“Seriously, I was just hitting it sideways.    It was like last week when I was shooting 79.  But I have to tell everyone here I never made a sweeter 10 footer for not shooting 80 (laughing).”

Woods round was a mix of two birdies and three bogeys.

“I felt great with the putter but feeling great with the putter from 40, 50 feet is not exactly the best thing,” he said.

“I just didn’t hit it close enough and didn’t hit it well.

“I struggled with it and had a bad warm-up, as well, and was just one of those days.”

Reigning European No. 1 and FedEx Cup champion, Henrik Stenson shot a 67 to be well placed at seven under par and win for a second time in Dubai.

However former triple event winner Ernie Els missed the two under par cut with a round of 70 for a level par tally.