The Dubai Creek Resort bared its teeth on Friday as blustery winds and a steep drop in temperature turned round two of the Dubai Invitational into a survival test where even the world’s best were not spared.

World No.2 Rory McIlroy endured a rare off-day, losing his way in dramatic fashion with four balls finding the water that saw him surrender his dominant position. Once the overnight leader, McIlroy mixed five bogeys, three directly resulting from water hazards, with just two birdies in a uncharacteristically wayward three-over 74 that summed up a day when control proved elusive.

It was a startling contrast for the Grand Slam champion, who looked out of sync as gusting winds reaching 39 km/h exposed even the slightest misjudgement. Dubai Creek’s water-lined holes punished relentlessly, and McIlroy was its most high-profile casualty as the leaderboard tightened under the strain.

While McIlroy struggled, Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Spaniard Nacho Elvira shot identical rounds of 69 and 68 to lead on 137, five under par after 36 holes.

Irishman Lowry, winner of the Open in 2019, produced a composed, gritty display of five birdies and two bogeys to overhaul his close friend and playing partner, carding a three-under-par 68 built on superb iron play and nerveless putting.

Only nine players in the 60-strong field managed to beat the demanding par of 71, underlining just how exacting the conditions were. For context, 19 under par was enough to win this event in 2024, a figure that felt light years away on a day dominated by swirling winds.

Composure under pressure

Lowry, chasing his first DP World Tour title since the 2022 BMW PGA Championship, reflected on a round defined by patience and mindset.

‘I’m very happy. It was hard. It was tricky,” he said. “You know, like that putt on the last hole, you don't hole a lot of putts like that, and I did well. I did a good job. A couple of sloppy mistakes on the front nine, but I was playing well and giving myself chances.

“It was just a great day out there. I really enjoyed it. I had a great group. Two great amateurs, and yeah, playing golf in a good frame of mind makes it a little bit easier,” he added. “That's sort of a little lesson for me for the rest of the season. If I play golf like that this year - in that frame of mind, I'll be pretty good.”

Elvira matched Lowry’s 68 in a contrasting style, surging into contention with four birdies in his final six holes to set the early clubhouse target at five under. The Spaniard pointed to improved driving as the foundation of his charge.

‘I feel like off the tee I hit it really well,” said Elvira. “That's something I have struggled with in the past, and we made a couple of changes, and I think it's paying off. I'm very happy with the way I'm hitting it. It's putting me in good positions to take advantage.

“I feel like I've been hitting the ball decently these past couple of days. I made a few good putts coming in,” he added. “ hit a great shot on my 18th – the ninth. I hit it to like three feet, but apart from that, the key was putting myself in a good position and making good putts."

Torrid round derails Fleetwood

The brutal conditions claimed another elite name, with world No.4 Tommy Fleetwood also suffering a torrid afternoon. The defending champion from the inaugural 2024 edition could find no momentum, slumping to a seven-over-par 78, undone by five bogeys and a double bogey in the no-cut event.

In the team competition, Jimmy Dunne, paired with Lowry, leads at 12 under par, one clear of Greg Mondre and Dante Jimenez.

There was still time for magic amid the mayhem, however. Shot of the day belonged to American Ryggs Johnston, who fired a six-iron hole-in-one on the 218-yard eighth to climb to level par and a share of 15th place.

Saturday’s third round tee times run from 8.35am to 10.50am off both the first and tenth tees.

Round Two Leading Scores (Par 71):
N. Elvira (Spain) 69, 68 — 137
S. Lowry (Ireland) 69, 68 — 137
M. Armitage (England) 69, 70 — 139
D. Puig (Spain) 67, 72 — 139

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