McIlroy and Hatton tied as Chacarra stays in hunt

Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton are tied at five under par after two rounds of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, according to the BBC. McIlroy followed an opening 69 with a 70, while Hatton shot a second-round 69 with five birdies and two bogeys. Overnight leader Joost Luiten carded a 73 to fall one shot back alongside Norway's Kristoffer Reitan at four under.

McIlroy, who is guaranteed to equal Colin Montgomerie's record of eight season-long Race to Dubai titles with a victory this week, sits four shots ahead of Race to Dubai leader Eugenio Chacarra. The Spaniard, who won three times earlier this season to lead the standings entering the week, birdied his final two holes to finish at one under par, the BBC reported.

McIlroy seized the lead with four birdies in his first 10 holes but stalled with bogeys at the 12th, 16th and 17th before a closing birdie secured his place in Saturday's final pairing alongside Ryder Cup teammate Hatton. "I think it's been a bit eye-opening to see the scoring the first two days," McIlroy said, noting the course is playing tougher than in previous years and that anything in the 60s is a good score this week.

Hatton, who cannot win the Race to Dubai but is chasing a ninth DP World Tour victory and his first since leaving LIV Golf, made three birdies in a bogey-free front nine before a bogey at the 10th. He added birdies at the 15th and 18th after a bogey at the par-three 17th. "The wind was sort of moving round just enough that it goes from slightly off the right to then more down and club selection just becomes really difficult," Hatton said.

Spain's Jon Rahm, a two-time major winner who can still clinch the Race to Dubai, sits at two under after a 71, alongside South Africa's Jayden Schaper who shot 68. Patrick Reed's hopes of becoming the second American to win the Harry Vardon Trophy suffered a significant blow after the 2018 Masters champion followed an opening 75 with a 77 to sit at eight over par, the BBC reported.