Sunday 7 February 2016 07:58, UK
Rory McIlroy believes he is still in with a chance of defending his Dubai Desert Classic title after a strong finish to his second round.
The world No 2 looked in danger of an early exit when three bogeys in a four-hole stretch around the turn left him below the projected cut line, before he finished strongly with a hat-trick of birdies to close with a level-par 72.
McIlroy heads into the weekend six strokes adrift of midway pacesetter Rafa Cabrera-Bello and the Northern Irishman admitted he had to dig deep to stay in contention.
"I didn't have my best stuff with me," McIlroy told Sky Sports. "I struggled at the start of the round and around the middle, so needed something first and foremost just to be here for the weekend.
"I felt like I played some decent golf out there. A couple of tentative putts, couple of loose shots, but all in all a decent finish and if I can get off to a better start tomorrow then you never know."
Having recovered from a slow start on Thursday to post a 'decent' first round, McIlroy carded an opening-hole blemish for the second day running after finding the bunker with his approach to the par-four.
McIlroy bounced back from a three-putt bogey at the fourth to sink a 15-footer at the next, but lost further ground when he failed to get up and down from just off the eighth green.
A missed par save from seven feet completed a front-nine 38, before McIlroy dropped back to level par for the week with another three-putt at the 11th.
After saving par from five feet at the next, the 26-year-old found the par-five 13th green in two and two-putted for the first of four birdies along the closing holes.
The four-time major champion followed a close-range birdie at the 16th by nearly reaching the green off the tee at the par-four next to move another stroke closer to the lead, before finishing his round in style by holing a 20-footer at the last.
"I missed a few short putts and wasn't really committing to the lines that I was picking," McIlroy added. "Birdieing the last three holes definitely gives me a little bit of momentum heading into the weekend.
"In a way I'm thankful that I'm not out as one of the last pairings tomorrow, because I feel that I'll get some of the better conditions and the course will be a little more receptive."
Watch the Dubai Desert Classic throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Third round coverage gets underway live on Saturday from 9am.
