Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Nov 17 (AP) Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Tommy Fleetwood were among the marquee players moving into contention at the season-ending World Tour Championship on Friday.

Rory McIlroy wasn't among them.

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While McIlroy was, in his words, “stuck in neutral” on his way to shooting an even-par 72 in the second round, Rahm, Hovland and Fleetwood all had 66s on the Earth Course to be in a good position heading into the weekend.

Nicolai Hojgaard, a 22-year-old Dane boosted by his recent Ryder Cup experience, had a back nine of 30 containing four birdies and an eagle to shoot 66 and lead on 11-under par, two shots clear of a five-man group including Hovland and Fleetwood.

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Rahm was five shots back, but happy with his game, while McIlroy was languishing on 1 under for the tournament, in 34th place in a curtailed field of 50 for the last event of the European tour's 2023 season.

“There is a low one out there," said McIlroy, who has already clinched the Race to Dubai title to be crowned Europe's No. 1 player, "and I'm going to need one to get myself back in the tournament.” (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)