DUBAI // Whisper it, but Henrik Stenson is heading the DP World Tour Championship apparently running at little more than half speed.
The Swede holds the midway lead following a second-round 66 on Friday, made all the more impressive given he was low on fuel for much of the back nine.
Asked to rate his day’s production, which keeps Rory McIlroy and two others a couple back in second place, Stenson’s response was pretty surprising.
After all, seven birdies, including one at the final hole, seemed a more-than-decent return, although he reckons there is still much room for improvement. Six out of 10 was the defending champion’s assessment, seven at a push.
“There’s still more there, but don’t tell the other guys,” Stenson said. “Tell them I’m 10 out of 10, haven’t missed a shot.”
Bar a bogey at the fourth, for much of the second round it appeared he had not. Stenson began the day two shots behind McIlroy and Shane Lowry, but a red-hot putter proved key to his burst out in front.
In truth, he was always going to be there or thereabouts. Just 12 months ago, Stenson scorched the Earth course to set a tournament-record total of 25-under, so he obviously knows the blueprint for success. His past six rounds around Jumeirah Golf Estates read a remarkable 35-under gross.
Second to McIlroy in the Race to Dubai coming into this week, should he win, Stenson stands to bank US$2 million (Dh7.34m) on Sunday. If those digits are mind-boggling, pitching a potential winning score proved just as difficult to comprehend.
“It’s hard to give a number,” Stenson said. “But I have a strong game plan in the way I want to play this course and executed it really well last year. So I didn’t see much point in changing it. So I’m sticking to the same plan – tee to green it’s been solid. But there’s still a lot of golf to play.”
Hence, he will be thankful of the late lie-in on Saturday. Stenson admitted to feeling all out of energy by the time he had reached the 12th hole, a by-product of the sticky conditions and a long season that has yet to yield a victory.
“I just felt like I hit the wall, really,” he said. “It was difficult mentally from there on, so I had to really focus hard and drag myself over the finish line.”
McIlroy’s presence could slow down Stenson, too. The world No 1, who wrapped up the season-long title even before a ball was struck this week, struggled for much of his second round, eventually posting a 2-under 70 that included two bogeys on the back nine.
Picking up shots at 14 and 15 appeared to set him up for a grandstand finish, but the 2012 champion three-putted the next to give one back. After dunking his drive in the water on 18, McIlroy saved par to keep Stenson well within sight. It certainly helped lift the mood.
“I just found it hard to gain any sort of momentum going out there,” McIlroy said. “I definitely didn’t have it like I did yesterday. I had to dig in a little bit.”
McIlroy was reminded he has been in worse positions before, and won, so he was far from unhappy with his first two competitive rounds in six weeks. However, an in-form Stenson casts a long shadow, both physically and figuratively.
“Yeah, he’s pretty comfortable on this golf course, obviously,” McIlroy said. “I can’t let him get too far ahead tomorrow. I have to get off to a fast start, like I managed to do yesterday, and try to put a bit of pressure on him. Hopefully I can do that.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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