Antoine Rozner hit a flawless seven-under-par 65 to overtake Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton on top of the leaderboard after the second round of the World Tour Championship in Dubai on Friday.
The 31-year-old Frenchman finished with four straight birdies, for a total of seven, and had no bogeys as he took a one-shot lead on McIlroy and Hatton, who both hit 69.
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, bidding to equal Seve Ballesteros’ mark of six European Tour Order of Merit crowns, and England’s Hatton had led overnight in the season-ending tournament.
“It’s one of those days where everything goes in and I had a ton of fun out there,” said world No 154 Rozner, who carded 70 in the first round. “I just think the confidence clicked and everything is going the right way.”
With 2,000 points on offer to the winner, McIlroy only needs a top-10 finish to secure a sixth Race to Dubai crown of his career, matching Ballesteros.
McIlroy made a fast start with three birdies in his first four holes.
Another followed at the 7th a he climbed to nine under, only to bogey the 8th and 10th to gift the lead to Rozner.
McIlroy parred his way to the par-five last, where he produced a stellar second shot inside 15 feet and brushed the left edge of the cup with the eagle putt which would have seen him rejoin the lead.
Hatton had to grind his way into contention after bogeying the 4th, hitting back with a birdie putt at the 6th before adding another at the 8th.
The world No 18 holed from eight feet at the 10th to pick up a shot and when he holed a clutch putt from eight feet for birdie at the 15th, he was one adrift of Rozner.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann carded an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys in his 67 to sit at seven under in sole fourth.
South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence was even par (T34) after a round of 71 that included four birdies and three bogeys.
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© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
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