Rory McIlroy has moved back into contention at the Abu Dhabi Championship, carding a career-best 11 birdies in a DP World Tour round to sit one shot off the lead at the halfway stage at Yas Links.
The Northern Irishman shot a nine-under-par 63 on Friday, 6 November 2026, to reach 11 under for the tournament. Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta share the lead on 12 under, with the third round under way on Saturday and the final round on Sunday.
A day of birdies after Thursday’s penalty
McIlroy’s second round did not start smoothly. He bogeyed the first hole after a drive went out of bounds, and dropped another shot at the 14th. In between and after, he made 11 birdies, including five in a row from the ninth, according to Sky Sports and the Irish Times.
The round came a day after he was given a two-stroke penalty in the first round. Officials ruled that he had improved his lie on the 12th hole, where his ball had settled in a divot near the green. He finished Thursday on 70, eight shots behind the first-round leader.
McIlroy said he had made peace with the ruling. “I’d much rather be two shots worse off than be called a cheat,” he said, according to the Associated Press. Speaking about his second round, he added: “I did everything well again.”
Who is leading at Yas Links
The three leaders reached 12 under by different routes, according to the AP and Sky Sports:
- Francesco Laporta (Italy): Opened with a 10-under 62 to lead after the first round, then shot 70 on Friday, including a double bogey at the 14th
- Tyrrell Hatton (England): Followed his opening 67 with a 65 that included eight birdies
- Jon Rahm (Spain): Shot 67 on Friday, with eight birdies and three bogeys
McIlroy is tied one shot back with Matthew Jordan, Sam Bairstow and Adrian Meronk, the AP reported. Tommy Fleetwood shot 66 and Adam Scott 67 on Friday.
What is at stake in the Race to Dubai
The Abu Dhabi Championship is the second-to-last event of the DP World Tour season, and its result will shape the Race to Dubai, the tour’s season-long rankings.
Eugenio Chacarra leads the standings, with Patrick Reed second and McIlroy third, according to the Irish Times. Both Chacarra and Reed shot 71 on Friday and are further down the leaderboard. McIlroy is chasing a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, which would match Colin Montgomerie’s all-time mark. The final rankings will be decided after next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“I’m still in a much better position than I thought I would be,” McIlroy told the Irish Times.
What to know for the weekend
- Venue: Yas Links Golf Club, Abu Dhabi
- Halfway leaders: Rahm, Hatton and Laporta on 12 under
- McIlroy: 11 under after rounds of 70 and 63
- Remaining rounds: Third round on Saturday, 7 November, and final round on Sunday, 8 November
- Next up: DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, where the Race to Dubai title will be settled
Leaderboard positions will change during Saturday’s third round, so readers are advised to check the official DP World Tour leaderboard for live scores.
Sources: Sky Sports, Associated Press via WSLS, The Irish Times
