Golf - The 2023 Ryder Cup - Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy - September 30, 2023 Team Europe's Nicolai Hojgaard chips onto the green on the 10th hole during the Four-Balls REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
(Reuters) - Nicolai Hojgaard carded a second-round 66 to take a two-stroke halfway lead at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after a stunning comeback on the back nine on Friday to get to 11-under overall.
The Dane shared a three-way tie for the lead with Frenchmen Julien Guerrier and Matthieu Pavon after the first round but had a poor start with bogeys on the third and fourth holes.
He turned things around with six birdies, however, and finished with an eagle on the par-five 18th, where a brilliant second shot from near the creek set up an easy putt when the ball rolled back to within six feet of the hole.
Hojgaard is seeking his first title in 2023, having come close last week at the Nedbank Golf Challenge where he finished runner-up to Ryder Cup rival Max Homa.
"It's a little bit like last week, had a slow start in every round, basically. And then I just know on every round there's going to be a run of birdies at some point with where my game is at. So it's about staying patient," Hojgaard said.
"I would like to play the front nine a little bit better in the weekend but I'm very, very satisfied with how I'm playing these two rounds. I trust my game at the moment."
Five players are tied for second including Tommy Fleetwood, Thriston Lawrence, Viktor Hovland, Antoine Rozner and Jens Dantorp.
"I am just looking forward to the weekend. I always feel like it brings out great champions, so the ultimate goal is to be one of those," said Fleetwood, who is a resident of Jumeirah Golf Estates.
"Put my name on the trophy. Halfway there, enjoy that tonight and get ready to go again tomorrow."
Masters winner Jon Rahm was tied for 13th at six-under overall while world number two Rory McIlroy made three birdies and three bogeys to stay at one-under.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
