Rory McIlroy: I’m still in with a shout

World number two Rory McIlroy got exactly what he wanted to keep his hopes of a successful title defence alive in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

McIlroy completed a second round of 68 more than an hour before the leaders teed off and headed to the beach hoping not to be facing an insurmountable deficit over the last 36 holes.

And although Sergio Garcia and Francesco Molinari both shot 67 to share the halfway lead on nine under par, McIlroy had not given up hope of coming from eight shots behind to claim a fourth win of the season.