Henrik Stenson shot a second 66 as he seeks a career first in successfully defending the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Stenson, 38 birdied two of his closing three holes to seize a two stroke lead at 10-under par in the European Tour’s season-ending event on the Earth Course at Jumeriah Golf Resort.
Three players – World No. 1 Rory McIlroy (70), Scotland’s Richie Ramsay (69) and England’s Danny Willett (67) – share second place on eight under par.
Stenson birdied his opening two holes before dropping a shot at the fourth ahead of a birdie at the fifth and then picking up birdies at 10, 13, 16 and the last.
Henrik Stenson sees his way clear to a two shot lead on day two of the DP World Tour Championship. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
However Stenson, who singled out his putting as most pleasing aspect, will need to improve on his putting if he is to also capture a ninth Tour title having had 31 putts on day one and one fewer on day two of the $US 8m event.
“My putting has pleased me the most as I was making some nice putts all day long and that really helps,” he added.
“So it was a pretty solid round of golf, but more than anything, it was made up on the greens.”
Stenson set-up his 18th hole birdie from very close to his second shot from the fairway and very close to a plaque placed on the fairway to commemorate last year’s 3-wood European Tour ‘Shot of the Year’.
“It’s the only plaque I have to remind me of a special shot, and it’s always good fun when you’re playing a course where you’ve done something really well,” he said.
“I noticed it during the practice rounds this week and then again today.”
Stenson is currently lying second on the Race to Dubai money list and as exclusively reported to AP on the eve of the event this will be one season, as also the defending European No. 1, he would be happy to accept second place on the Race to Dubai.
McIlroy went into the round sharing the lead and quickly moved to eight under par with a first hole birdie before the four-time Major winner stalled with 10 straight pars before a 12th hole bogey.
He then birdied the 14th and 15th holes dropped a shot at 16 and birdie the 17th.
“I just didnt quite have it today,” he said.
“I guess you’re going to have rounds like that when you’re coming back from a little bit of a lay-off. But then I grinded out a score which was the main thing. I’m pretty close to the lead so there’s still 36-holes to go, and I’m still in a good position.”
And McIlroy had a vivid description of his second shot from the rough at the par five 7th hole wher he took par
“It was low, fat duck-hook runner but not intentional,” he said smiling.
“I was in the rough there during the Pro Am and yesterday was in the bunker off the tee so it will be nice to come back and find the fairway.”
Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello shot the lowest round of the day, an eight under par 64 that included five birdies in as many holes to commence his round before also eagling the 14th and end the day tied in fifth place on seven under par.
Four other players share fifth place including England’s Justin Rose (66), Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg (67), Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen (70) and Ireland’s Shane Lowry (71).
Lowry recorded the first hole-in-one in the six-year history of the event and his first in pro competition when he aced the par three, 13th hole.
However there was no luxury car for the double Tour winner and the offer of two nights at a luxury Dubai hotel.
