N. Hojgaard leads World Tour Championship ahead of Rory, pack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Nicolai Højgaard moved into position to win the season-ending World Tour Championship for a second time by taking a three-stroke lead Friday, though a slew of Europe’s Ryder Cup stars were well placed to pounce.

The chasing pack included Rory McIlroy, whose brilliant short game salvaged a 69 in the second round that kept him on track to capture a fourth straight yearlong Race to Dubai title as Europe’s No. 1 player.

McIlroy was tied for second place in a five-man group that included Justin Rose (67) and Shane Lowry (67). Fellow Ryder Cup players Robert MacIntyre (67) and Tommy Fleetwood (71) were a further stroke back, and Tyrrell Hatton (67) one more shot adrift.

They were all looking up at the 70th-ranked Højgaard, who didn’t make the Ryder Cup team this time — that honor fell to his twin brother, Rasmus — but is showing a reminder of his ability at the Earth Course this week.

The 24-year-old Dane shot 65, the low round of the day, to back up his opening 67 and was 12 under for the week. Højgaard won the tournament in 2023, didn’t qualify for it last year and is dominating a star-studded field in his return.

His only other 36-hole lead on the European tour was at the World Tour Championship two years ago. That remains his last win too.

“It’s one of my favorite tournaments to play,” Højgaard said. “It’s great to be back in a bit of form. It suits my eye. It plays into my strengths, which is mid-irons. It’s just a really good fit for me.”

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McIlroy mixed six birdies with three bogeys on a day when he was poor by his standards off the tee but his wedge play was magical.

“I felt like I showed my scoring skills today and battled well and stayed patient and got the ball up and down when I needed to,” McIlroy said. “And overall, to shoot 69, I’m pretty pleased considering some of the spots that I found myself.”

Alongside McIlroy, Lowry and Rose in a tie for second was Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (67) and Daniel Hillier (68).

Only Marco Penge and Hatton, second and third in the Race to Dubai standings, respectively, can overhaul McIlroy this week. Penge (70) appears out of it in 44th place, 12 shots off the lead, so only Hatton can realistically stop the Northern Irishman.

Hatton, who is five behind Højgaard, needs to win and for McIlroy to finish worse than tied for eighth with one other.

“You start every tournament week trying to win the tournament,” said Hatton, who plays in the LIV Golf League. “It’s kind of no different. I know I need results to go my way if that was to happen. I’m not really thinking about it too much. Just trying to play better.”

Fleetwood started the second round in second place, one stroke behind Michael Kim, and had a frustrating day with the putter. He made one eagle, at the par-5 No. 2, along with 16 pars and one bogey.

That dropped shot ended a remarkable run of 69 holes without a bogey, stretching back to the 15th hole of the second round in Abu Dhabi last week when he lost in a playoff to Aaron Rai.

Kim shot 76 after opening with a 64.