Former leaders stumble in brutal conditions while seasoned duo show grit to share the halfway lead at Dubai Creek.
DUBAI — Blustery winds and a sudden temperature drop turned the second round of the Dubai Invitational into a stern examination of resilience on Friday, with pre-tournament favourites Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood faltering as Shane Lowry and Nacho Elvira surged to the top of the leaderboard.
Overnight leader McIlroy, the world number two, endured a tumultuous day at Dubai Creek Resort, finding the water four times on his way to a three-over-par 74. His round, featuring five bogeys and only two birdies, highlighted the challenge posed by gusts reaching 39 km/h. The Northern Irishman’s struggles were mirrored by defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, who carded a seven-over 78 to fall out of contention.
In contrast, Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Spain’s Nacho Elvira mastered the conditions with composed three-under rounds of 68 to share the lead at five under par overall.
“I’m very happy. It was hard. It was tricky,” said Lowry, the 2019 Open champion. “A couple of sloppy mistakes on the front nine, but I was playing well and giving myself chances.”
Elvira’s charge was built on a strong finish, carding four birdies in his final six holes. “I feel like off the tee I hit it really well,” he remarked. “That’s something I have struggled with in the past, and we made a couple of changes, and I think it’s paying off.”
Only nine players in the 60-man field managed to break par on a day when the course average soared, demonstrating the severity of the conditions.
Despite the challenges, there was a moment of brilliance as American Ryggs Johnston recorded a hole-in-one on the 218-yard eighth hole with a six-iron.
The third round of the no-cut event begins on Saturday morning, with Lowry and Elvira holding a two-shot advantage over England’s Marcus Armitage and Spain’s David Puig.
