Rory McIlroy shakes off opening round penalty to swing back into contention in Abu Dhabi

Rory McIlroy, perhaps more than anyone, knows how to close the deal when it comes to the DP World Tour’s order of merit. Swing-by-swing, the Northern Irish man advanced his cause for a record-equalling title with a superb second-round 63 at the Abu Dhabi Championship to sit 11-under-par at the midway point.

The world number three put his two-stroke penalty in the first round – having inadvertently improving his lie – to one side, shooting 11 birdies and two bogeys to navigate his way up to tied-fourth, one a shot adrift of the trio of co-leaders, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Laporta.