Wallace No Tour Tortoise In Sprinting To The Front At DP World Tour Championship

Dubai, UAE ….

Matt Wallace proved he was no tortoise in sprinting to the front of the field with a blistering seven birdie haul in a round of 65 on day two of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

The Englishman had been fined £3,000 on day one of the European Tour season-ending event for slow-play mid-round but no such problems on day two in muscling his way to 11-under par on Wallace’s debut in the event.

Wallace is seeking his fourth win of a remarkable season as he recorded a bogey-free display to be one clear of past Masters winner, Danny Willett (67) along with his England compatriot, Jordan Smith (68) and Spaniard Adrian Otego (68) who share second at 10-under par.

Matt Wallace on route to a 65 day two DP World Championship (Photo – European Tour/Getty)

“That’s up there with one of the best this year,” said Wallace after his round.

“With it being in round two, as well, it’s nice. Haven’t done that much this year, improving on the first round. I seem to play really nice the first day and just go backwards. That was nice today and hopefully more on the weekend.

I’ve got rid of all the expectations that have come with playing well and winning; I’ve expected higher from myself and that’s just killed me.

“So I’m playing with freedom now and trying to place as high as I possibly can come the back nine holes on Sunday and then that’s when I normally will try and kick in and want to win a tournament, depending on where I am. Last week was the best week I’ve had mentally because I’ve had no expectations and I finished fifth. That’s nice.”

A victory on Sunday would make Wallace the 14th player to win four times or more in a European Tour season and the first since Alex Noren in 2016, but he has an elite pack close behind him at Jumeirah Golf Estates

In the Race to Dubai tussel, it was advantage Tommy Fleetwood, who needs a win to have a chance of successfully defending his Race to Dubai title, posting a 67 to be  currently three shots off the lead at eight under par, alongside three-time Race to Dubai winner Rory McIlroy, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Dean Burmester of South Africa.

Defending champion Jon Rahm and Swedish pair Henrik Stenson and Alexander Björk are then at seven under par.

To seal back-to-back Race to Dubai titles Fleetwood also needs Italy’s Francesco Molinari to finish outside of the top five, with a 73 leaving the Open Champion eight shots off the lead.

 



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