Matt clocks on in time for the lead
SWINGING: Wallace shot a flawless 65 to set pace A DAY after being fined for slow play, England’s Matt Wallace set the pace at the halfway stage of the DP World Tour Championship, where the battle for the Race to Dubai took another twist.
Wallace added a flawless 65 to his opening 68 at Jumeirah Golf Estates to reach 11 under par, a shot ahead of former Masters champion Danny Willett, Jordan Smith and Adrian Otaegui.
Current Masters champion Patrick Reed is two shots off the lead after a 66 compiled in the company of Rory McIlroy, whose 67 left him a stroke further back alongside Tommy Fleetwood, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Dean Burmester.
Fleetwood needs to win the season-ending event and see Ryder Cup partner Francesco Molinari finish outside the top five in order to retain his status as European No1, a scenario which looked unlikely when the latter carded an opening 68.
But the Open champion struggled to a 73 on Friday to end the day in a tie for 27th on three under, six shots behind Reed in fifth place.
Wallace was fined £3,000 for taking too long over a par putt on the ninth hole on Thursday and would have faced a one-shot penalty for any further transgressions but stayed within the time limits and birdied four of his last five holes.
Seven more birdies yesterday took the 28-year-old to the top of the leaderboard and he had no issues with the slow-play situation in the hunt for the biggest win of his career and a fourth European Tour title of the season. “We were on the clock and I managed to make a couple of birdies [on the seventh and eighth], which was nice and thought we were going to be off it pretty soon,” said Wallace.
“And then I had a really tough two-putt on nine, I had a 40-footer up and over [a ridge] and left myself about 20 feet, so I had to reread it and that took longer than it should have done.
“I’ve never been done before so I wouldn’t say I’m slow, but it is what it is.
“I spoke to Andy [McFee, European Tour senior referee] afterwards and said I’m going to work on it.
“He was thankful of that and we will do it right next time.” A win tomorrow could make Wallace the 14th player to win four events in a single European Tour season and the first since Alex Noren in 2016.
“I’m playing with freedom now and trying to place as high as I possibly can come the back nine holes on Sunday,” he said.
McIlroy was delighted to move into contention after some indifferent form in his two starts since helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup.
“I have to be pleased,” the four-time Major winner said. “It’s a massive improvement considering the golf I’ve played the last couple of weeks.
“To shoot two scores in the 60s is great.
“I just want to give myself another chance to win a golf tournament. I’ve given myself plenty of chances this year. I just haven’t capitalised on those chances.”