No other name stands above Rory McIlroy's in either the season-long race or the DP World Tour Championship through two rounds of the European circuit's season finale. McIlroy's 36-hole total of 5 under par positions him atop the leaderboard alongside Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, which in turn gives McIlroy the projected lead in the Race to Dubai heading into the weekend at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

McIlroy entered the week No. 2 in the Race to Dubai standings behind Eugenio Chacarra as he aims to capture his eighth season-long crown on the DP World Tour. As it stands, McIlroy is one behind Colin Montgomerie for the most all-time after claiming the title in each of the last four seasons.

The world No. 2 got off to a beautiful start on Friday as he turned in 3 under and tacked on another birdie on the gettable par-4 10th. The Earth Course bit back, however, as McIlroy carded three bogeys on his back nine, including back-to-back squares on Nos. 16-17 and fell out of the lead momentarily.

He would recover on the final hole, though, with a two-putt birdie to set up a date with Hatton in the final group in the third round.

"If anything, I started to get frustrated with the golf course," McIlroy said. "It just, you know, as it dries out, lies and fairways aren't very good, and greens start to get bumpy. And I started to get maybe a little bit frustrated with the course on the way in. But I think it's just the nature of it. It's a tough test. 

"I think, as well, I've been coming to this golf course for 17 years, and this is the toughest I think it's ever played. So in my mind it's sort of like, well, you should be going out and shooting 66 or 65, and the course just isn't set up that way this week. And you just have to show a little bit more patience out there."

McIlroy may have Hatton alongside him on Saturday, but he will be keeping one eye on the young Spaniard. Chacarra has experienced a volatile two days in Dubai, but he finished Friday on a high note as a birdie on the par-3 17th was followed by a chip-in birdie on the par-5 finisher.

The 26-year-old is only four strokes behind McIlroy at 1 under and in a tie for 11th place. Through two rounds, Chacarra has carded 10 birdies and nine bogeys and still has a very real chance to fend off McIlroy.

"It's just what it is. I knew it was going to happen," Chacarra said. "It's one of the favorite courses of Rory, and he's had so much success in here. He's obviously one of the best players in the world. So, we know it's going to be tough. 

"There's two rounds of golf; 36 holes is a lot. And, yeah, I like how I'm hitting it. There's been a lot of birdies in harder conditions. So, if I can clean up the card a little, I like my chance on the weekend."

Another name to keep an eye on as the proceedings continue is that of Jon Rahm. A winner last week in Abu Dhabi, Rahm has signed for back-to-back 71s and is in a tie for eighth place with two rounds to play. The two-time major champion is a three-time winner of this event, all of which featured a comeback of similar proportions at the halfway mark.

Although Rahm did not play full-time on the DP World Tour this season, he still has a chance to take down the Race to Dubai thanks to his win at the Abu Dhabi Championship. 

"I'm making really good swings. I'm playing really good golf," Rahm said. "Yesterday … those swings weren't giving me the results I wanted off the tee. Today was more so the irons. I felt like I was making good swings. 

"A great example would be 17. Loads of wind in and off the left, and I hit a little fade that somehow the wind never moved. So one of those days that can happen. And days like today, swirls, etc., all we can do is keep putting good swings in. And I feel like I've done that and hit a lot of good putts. Hopefully I start hitting them a little closer on the weekend."