Aaron Rai played some mighty good golf, including an 8-under 64 Friday in the second round of the Abu Dhabi Championship. He opened with a mind-blowing albatross, holing out from a jaw-dropping 214 yards. This double eagle of a shot sent him soaring to a shared top-of-the-leaderboard position with compatriot Tommy Fleetwood.
Local story Rai and Fleetwood have both been in the spotlight, sharing the lead at 12 under overall after two rounds. With an impressive showing, they place themselves in prime position heading into the weekend.
Rory McIlroy continued to keep himself in the mix as well with a second-straight 68 on Friday. That makes his total of 8 under, leaving him six strokes off the lead. McIlroy’s consistent play has kept him in contention, but he faces a challenging uphill battle to catch up with Rai and Fleetwood.
Andy Sullivan, Nicolai Hojgaard, and Richard Sterne are at the top of the leaderboard. They’re only two shots clear, everyone tied at 10 under. Local guy Shane Lowry is on the short-list. He signed for a 69, which left him just one shot off the lead.
As Rory McIlroy looks up and down the Race to Dubai standings, he’s in an interesting spot. Marco Penge, his closest competitor in the Race to Dubai, is just one shot ahead of him. McIlroy tops the current standings as he seeks a seventh crown in this year-long Race to the Finals. Colin Montgomerie is the all-time leader with eight victories.
Rai began his day only two strokes off the lead. He demonstrated his tremendous talent and concentration with a 12 hole, bogey-free round. Reflecting on his albatross, he remarked on the surprise element of the moment:
“You couldn’t see it from the back of the fairway, so it was a nice surprise.” – Aaron Rai
Two rounds down, and just one left to play in the Abu Dhabi Championship. The energy is palpable as these high caliber competitive players battle it out for the top spot! The penultimate event of the European Tour’s 2025 season promises a dramatic finish. Competitors will be jockeying seriously for their position on the all-time roster!
“I’m having a lot of good rounds, But I’m not stupid, and it’s bitten me enough times.” – Tommy Fleetwood
With two rounds complete and only one more to go before the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Championship, excitement builds as these top players vie for the title. The next-to-last event of the European Tour’s 2025 season promises to deliver even more thrilling moments as competitors push for their place in history.
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