Stenson Rises into Lead in Dubai


Defending champion Henrik Stenson carded a 6-under 66 to take a two-shot lead after 36 holes of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The European Tour's season finale began Thursday at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Stenson, the fourth-ranked player in the world, posted seven birdies and a bogey to get to 10-under 134, two strokes ahead of Englishmen Danny Willett (67) and Richie Ramsay (69), and No. 1 Rory McIlroy, who followed up his pacesetting 66 with a 70.

The 38-year-old Stenson, whose last title came in Dubai a year ago, said he's managed his game well so far but knows there's a long way to go before he can secure a second straight victory in the tournament.

"There's still a lot of golf to play and I'm really happy with how I closed this round," he told the European Tour's website. "Around the 12th hole I felt like I was running out of steam. It was difficult mentally from there on. I had to really focus hard and drag myself over the finish line.

"It's hot and sticky and even though I'm drinking well and getting plenty of energy, I just felt like I hit the wall on 12. If it's one or two holes left, you normally feel like, 'Okay, I can hang on.' But it was a bit of an uphill (struggle) from there. I managed to finish in good style anyway so I'm pleased with that."

McIlroy, who has claimed Player of the Year honors from both the PGA of America and PGA Tour and earlier in the week won the European Tour's Race to Dubai emblematic of the top European Tour player, had four birdies and two bogeys Thursday.

The 25-year-old Northern Irishman is playing his first competitive golf in six weeks. The reason for his hiatus was a lawsuit he brought against his former agent earlier in the year. The case, expected to involve millions of dollars, will be heard in a Dublin court early next year.

"I'm in a good position and there is a lot of golf left," McIlroy said after the second round. "I've definitely been in worse positions after two rounds and still won. It could have been worse but it probably could have been a little better. I definitely didn't have it like I did yesterday.

"I had to dig in a little bit so hopefully that's the bad one out of the way and I have 36 holes now to make some ground up on Henrik. Henrik's very comfortable on this golf course obviously. I can't let him get too far ahead tomorrow. I have to get off to a fast start and try and put a bit of pressure on him. Hopefully I can do that."

Only three back of Stenson are Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bellow - who posted Friday's low round of 64, England's Justin Rose (66), Sweden's Kristoffer Broberg (67) and Ireland's Shane Lowry. Lowry began the day tied for the lead with McIlroy but fell off the pace with a 71.

Lowry got off to a rough start with three bogeys - and a birdie - in his first four holes. But after a birdie on the ninth to make the turn in 1-over 37, the 27-year-old got the shot of the day with a hole-in-one on the 183-yard, par-3 13th with a 6-iron.

"It was a beautiful shot, a perfect number for my 6-iron," said Lowry. "It's my first in tournament play and only my second ever so it was pretty exciting. It was hard to go on and play the next hole after that."

Tied for 10th are two Brits David Howell (67) and Tyrell Hatton (68).

For all the scores, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2014/tournamentid=2014092/leaderboard/index.html.