Shane Lowry and Nacho Elvira have surged to the top of the Dubai Invitational leaderboard after mastering blustery conditions during Friday's second round, while overnight leader Rory McIlroy saw his advantage disappear.
Windy Conditions Test the Field
The challenging winds at Dubai Creek Resort on Friday 16 January 2026 produced high scores, with only two players managing to break 70. Both Lowry and Elvira carded impressive three-under-par rounds of 68, the lowest of the day, to climb to five under par overall.
Lowry, seeking his first DP World Tour victory since his 2022 BMW PGA Championship win, started the day three shots behind playing partner McIlroy. The Irishman displayed superb iron play and confident putting, mixing five birdies with two bogeys to overhaul the Northern Irishman.
McIlroy's Struggle Opens the Door
World number two Rory McIlroy, who held a one-shot lead after the first round, could not replicate his opening form. He managed only two birdies against five bogeys during a difficult three-over 74. This dropped him into a share of fifth place at one under par, four shots off the lead.
"Very happy. It was hard. It was tricky," said Lowry after his round. "If I play golf like that for the rest of the season in that frame of mind, I'll be pretty good. The first tournament of the year you don't know what to expect. So going out there in the last group now on Saturday is nice."
Dramatic Shifts on the Leaderboard
The round saw significant movement. France's Antoine Rozner briefly threatened the lead before a double bogey at the 13th halted his charge. England's Marcus Armitage joined the group at four under before a late bogey saw him finish at three under, tied for third with David Puig.
McIlroy's struggles were epitomised on the 17th hole, where he found the water for the fourth time during his round, leading to back-to-back closing bogeys. Meanwhile, Spain's Nacho Elvira produced a stunning finish, birdieing four of his last six holes to join Lowry at the summit.
"I feel like off the tee I hit it really well," Elvira commented. "That's something I struggled with in the past and we made a couple changes, and I think it's paying off."
Looking Ahead to the Weekend
The tournament is now finely poised heading into the weekend. Lowry and Elvira will take a two-shot lead over Armitage and Puig into the third round. McIlroy remains in contention, tied with Thriston Lawrence, Rozner, and Angel Ayora at one under par, but will need a strong moving-day performance to challenge the leaders.
All eyes will be on whether Lowry can convert his lead into a long-awaited title or if Elvira can secure a notable victory. McIlroy's response to his second-round stumble will be one of the major storylines as the Dubai Invitational continues at the Dubai Creek Resort.
