Wallace takes narrow lead in Dubai, Fleetwood stays in contention

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England's Matt Wallace continued his remarkable rise toward the top echelon of world golf as he took the lead at the halfway stage of the DP World Tour Championship on Friday.

In the season-ending event of the European Tour, the 28-year-old Wallace shot a seven-under-par 65 in the second round to open a three-shot lead on top at 11-under-par and was well placed to win his fourth and biggest title of the season.

A win on Sunday 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 am playing with freedom now and trying to place as high as I possibly can come to the back nine holes on Sunday," Wallace said.

"I have been in this situation before, just not in this sort of tournament. The best players are out there in the world and I just want to compete and see where my game is at against them."

England's Tommy Fleetwood plays his shot during the WGC-HSBC Champion at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, October 25, 2018. /VCG Photo

Meanwhile, the defending Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood is tied for the sixth alongside three-time winner and former world No. 1 Rory McIlroy on eight-under-par 136, three shots behind Wallace.

In the battle to win the Race to Dubai and become the European No. 1 for 2018, front-runner Francesco Molinari slipped with a 73 and a tie for 27th place.

Fleetwood is now bogey-free for the two rounds and said he was looking forward to the challenge of trying to overtake the Italian.

"In terms of the golf tournament, leaderboards mean nothing in day two but you can't help but look at them at the moment when you know what you have to do," Fleetwood said.

He will have to win the tournament on Sunday to stop Molinari taking his Race to Dubai crown.

For other players, England's Danny Willett started the day with a dropped shot but four straight birdies from the sixth ensured he finished with 67 to move up to the second spot at 10-under alongside compatriot Jordan Smith and Spaniard Adrian Otaegui.

Otaegui was another player to start with a bogey but recovered well for his 68, which was matched by Smith following a mixed round.

(Cover photo: England's Matt Wallace in action during the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa, November 8, 2018. /VCG Photo)

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)