Saturday 17 November 2018 15:10, UK
Matt Wallace moved into a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the DP World Tour Championship, as Tommy Fleetwood bolstered his hopes of winning the Race to Dubai.
Wallace, chasing a fourth European Tour win of the season, fired a joint-low round-of-the-day 65 at Jumeirah Golf Estates to grab top spot ahead of Danny Willett, Jordan Smith and Adrian Otaegui.
Patrick Reed sits two off the pace in fifth spot, with Rory McIlroy alongside Fleetwood in the group on eight under and three back after posting matching 67s.
"That's up there with one of the best [rounds] this year," Wallace said. "With it being in round two, as well, it's nice. Haven't done that much this year, improving on the first round."
Wallace, who was fined for slow play on Thursday, kicked off his second round with back-to-back birdies and followed a four-foot gain at the fifth with another at the seventh to turn in 32.
The Englishman holed a 25-footer at the 11th and made successive gains from the 13th on his way to closing out a blemish-free card and setting the clubhouse target.
Overnight joint-leaders Smith and Otaegui both missed birdie putts at the last to move in to the share of the lead, with Willett making four straight gains on his way to a five-under 67 to also get to 10 under.
McIlroy mixed seven birdies with two bogeys to join Fleetwood, Dean Burmester and Kiradech Aphibarnrat in tied-sixth, while defending champion Jon Rahm lies a further shot back.
Fleetwood needs to win to have any chance of overtaking Francesco Molinari, who lies in a share of 27th after a second-round 73, in the Race to Dubai standings and finish European No 1 for the second consecutive season.
Watch the DP World Tour Championship throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 7am on Sky Sports Golf.
