Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin steady in Dubai but Rory McIlroy off the pace

Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin are tied for 17th at the halfway stage of the DP World Tour Championship, six shots behind leader Nicolai Hojgaard, with Rory McIlroy ten adrift of the Dane after he failed to fire in his second round.

Lowry and McKibbin are alongside France's Roman Langasque and Ewen Ferguson of Scotland on five under.

The 2019 Open champion was heading towards a top-10 spot until a bogey at the par-five 18th. The Clara golfer found the fairway stream from the tee and then a greenside bunker with his third shot on a hole most would have been targeting as a birdie or even eagle opportunity.

Lowry was three under through the three earlier par-fives, as he carded five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys during an eventful five-under 67.

Like Lowry, McKibbin bogeyed the par-four third, but he carded five birdies from then on to finish with a four-under 68.

LEADERBOARD

Rory McIlroy could only add a 72 to his opening 71 to stand at one under. Three birdies early on was the perfect start but the Hollywood could not produce any more magic and was clearly frusrated when he spoke afterwards.

"I got off to a decent start again, a couple under through nine and then just (hit) some loose shots coming in," McIlroy said. "I was trying to make some birdies on the back nine and get something going and I couldn't. I was just stuck in neutral all day.

"There is a low one out there and obviously I'm going to need a low one to get myself back in the tournament."

Hojgaard produced a brilliant finish to claim a two-shot advantage.

He was two over par after four holes of his second round at Jumeirah Golf Estates, but birdied the fifth and seventh and then covered the back nine in just 30 shots to card a superb 66.

The 22-year-old rounded off