Henrik Stenson remains one course for an historic double, after a second round of 64 took him to the summit of the leaderboard at the DP World Tour Championship to further strengthen his position at the top of the Race to Dubai.
The Swede, who has enjoyed a remarkable resurgent season, is seeking to become the first player to win the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai title in the same year. His eight-under rounds on the Greg Norman designed Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, takes him up to 12-under for the tournament – one shot ahead of round one leader Alejandro Canizares.
It’s almost like déjà vu for Stenson, who entered the PGA Tour’s season finale at the Tour Championship as one of the five players who could clinch the FedEx Cup by winning the event. He would do exactly that at East Lake, and he arrived this week in Dubai in a similar position – as one of three players who controlled their own destiny in the race to become European number one.
A victory this weekend will guarantee that the 37-year-old will claim the Race to Dubai title – and the $1 million bonus that goes with it. It is potentially a stratospheric achievement, particularly considering that Stenson was outside of the world’s top 200 less than two years ago.
Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell were the other two players who control their own destiny this week, with the U.S. Open champion five back of Stenson on seven-under, with McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion, three shots further behind at four-under.
The other player now realistically in the frame is Ian Poulter, who would claim the Race to Dubai title if he were to win this week, with Stenson finishing third.
However, at this stage all of the aces are in Stenson’s hand.
“I have my game plan cemented on this course and it's been working out great the first two days,” said Stenson, who had a blemish free card that included eight birdies. “It could have been a bit better but there is no point being greedy. I am delighted with the first two days' work.
”I keep track of what's happening with the other players, I'm too curious not to. I saw both Justin and Ian are seven under so they are chasing me as hard as they can.
”They are not going to back down so I better keep my foot and my head down, play another two good rounds and see where that takes me. I am in a great position to have a shot at winning and hopefully I will be there on Sunday afternoon.”
Coming into this week, the one serious obstacle to Stenson’s challenge – other than those other contenders – was his battle against a troubling wrist injury. However, despite the fatigue and pain that he is feeling, he believes that his relaxed preparations at the beginning of the week stand him well for the weekend. “The two days I had off on Monday and Tuesday have helped. I got the club stuck in the ground on the sixth tee and felt it there but thankfully I don't think that made it flare up.”
Alejandro Canizares won in just his third appearance on the Tour in 2006, but he has yet to add to that maiden victory. However, the 30-year-old Spaniard is in fine position to finally end that drought, and he will partner Stenson in the third round.
”I gave myself a chance and I really wanted to make that putt (on the 18th for par after finding the water with his second shot), because I haven't dropped a shot in the whole day and I didn't feel like I should have. I made that putt and it felt great.
”I played with Henrik on Sunday, and he's a fun guy to play with, and tomorrow I'm just going to go out there and enjoy it and focus on my game. That's all I can do.”
While attention is understandably on the battle to win the Race to Dubai, Rory McIlroy may yet build a challenge over the weekend. This 7,600 yard monster of a course is ideal for a long-hitter like McIlroy, and the former world number one illustrated that his best form is returning by carding a five-under round of 67 on Friday to move within six shots of Stenson.
It’s a huge ask from this position, given the quality of player ahead of him, but McIlroy is determined to try and end this bitterly disappointing season with a high.
“I think somewhere around 20 under par will win so I will need a couple of 65s,” said McIlroy, who shot back-to-back weekend rounds of 66 to win this event last year. “I finally feel I have got to the stage now when I can contend week in, week out and on the rare times I have got into contention this year I feel like I have played my best golf.”
McIlroy feels he is getting back to his best, but they will all have to catch Henrik Stenson – which has become a recurring objective in the second half of this year.